Only The Young
by Mastodon'sWorstNightmare
Summary: Chrom has no idea what to do. Not only does he have to balance a war with another nation, but he must take care of a little girl he found in a field; who claims to have no memory. It also does not help that the said girl is his new tactician... Certainly good for public relations... The time travelers don't help either!
1. Chapter 1

"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING!" a young woman said, staring down at the tiny form before her.

"I know..." the one known as 'Chrom' answered, running a hand through his blue hair.

In the peaceful field in which they stood alongside their personal guard, Frederick, were the siblings Chrom and Lissa. Both wore regal clothing, Chrom having body armor with a formal design and Lissa a yellow dress that matched her twin-tail, blonde hair. Frederick was in a bulky, obviously uncomfortable armor that would have powdered a lesser man's bones. Despite this, he seemed perfectly adjusted to it. That or he merely never brought up any issue with it. Both seem plausible.

However, their attention was more focused on the small child laying unconscious on the ground than their attire.

The child was a small girl, no older than seven. She wore a dark purple robe that looked well-made, despite none of the party knowing the standards of the foreign clothing. For all they knew it meant a mark of shame for some heinous crime or something. Her hair was shoulder length and a light gray, a strange color for such a tiny thing. In her small hands was a tattered stuffed cat, which she clung to with an iron grip.

"Poor thing..." Lissa said aloud to herself.

"No word of a missing child in any of the previous villages, my lord," Frederick began in a business-minded tone. "Perhaps she is a resident of the one not far down the road?"

"Perhaps," Chrom said simply. One thing struck him as odd about the girl. Mainly, the robes. They looked quite alien, yet familiar. He was sure that he recognized the style somewhere before...

"Mmmph..." the girl winced before rolling to her side, clutching the stuffed animal in her hands tightly to her chest.

"Do you think she's just taking a nap?" Frederick offered, a slight hint of suspicion in his voice.

"I doubt a child would be allowed to wander out this far from home and fall asleep in a field," Chrom reasoned. He was half tempted to shake the small one awake, they had little time to waste on a kid who fell asleep! Yet, he could not get the courage to do so. Mainly because he was sure she would start crying. Emmeryn had enough problems dealing with their father's reputation. She should not be crushed under rumors of her 'child-hating' brother.

"Do you think she ran away?" Lissa offered, trying to find a reasonable explanation to everything. Her feet were beginning to ache as the massive amount of walking she had done that day finally took its vengeance on her. She cursed her brother for teasing her for not being 'hardened for adventure'.

"More than likely," said Chrom, forgoing his previous thoughts and shaking the girl by the shoulder.

The child grimaced in her sleep before slowly opening her eyes. Each lid rose as slowly as the sun each morning to reveal a pair of almond brown eyes. The lids threatened to close for a second time before immediately shooting open, something shocking the poor girl out of a chance of rest. She slowly rose to her feet, her hands wrapped around her stuffed toy the entire time. The young child turned to the three figures towering over her, each one causing her to clam up and stare at the ground, not saying a single word.

"Hello!" Chrom began with a cocky smile and his 'regal' voice, "Do you know who we are?"

The girl continued to stare at the ground, hugging her toy closer to her.

Chrom fumbled to another way to greet the girl. He was never good with kids...

"Yes..." he began again, "We are the Shepherds!"

Not a word came from the girl once again.

"We are the legendary he-!"

"Give it a rest, Chrom!" Lissa interrupted, shoving a hand in his face as she bent down to the girl's level. "Hello there," Lissa began gently, "what's your name?"

Silence once again answered her, but she saw the smaller female visibly relax.

"My name's Lissa," she pointed to herself. "That was my dumb big-brother, Chrom." She pointed to the blue-haired man who rolled his eyes at his sister's comment.

The girl looked up from the ground for a moment before shooting her eyes back down, her face turning bright red.

"That's a cute toy you have there!" Lissa said with a smile, pinching the cat on one of its ears. "What did you name him?"

"...ki..." The girl mumbled out.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Lissa asked again, her tone remaining calm and kind.

"Kitty," the girl said, now clear enough for them all to hear, "her name is Kitty."

"That's a cute name!" Lissa scratched under the *cat's* chin.

This caused the girl to give a small, but noticeable, smile.

"So what's your name?" Lissa continued her line of questioning, still keeping the same aura of affection.

"R-Robin..." The girl said shyly, once again clutching the toy to herself.

"That's a pretty name," Lissa gave a nod, as if to confirm her statement, and gently ruffled the girl's hair.

This action caused a giggle to slip out of the tightly sealed lips of Robin, who went back to staring at her feet.

"See! Not all grown ups are mean," Lissa said, sticking her tongue out to her brother.

"This is all well and good," Frederick interjected, "but we must get a move on, my lord."

Lissa got to her feet and faced the two. Out of nowhere, she felt a sudden weight attach itself to her leg. She looked down to see Robin, clinging on to her for dear life. Despite her attempts to move, the surprisingly heavy child kept her pinned in her spot, unable to move.

"Robin," Lissa began, chuckling nervously, "can you please let go?"

Despite this, she kept her grip the same.

"Please?"

No physical change could be felt.

"_Pretty_ please?"

"N-No!" Robin said, to the surprise of the party. She was visibly shaking, and almost on the verge of tears. She began sniffling, and her eyes were dotted with tears.

"W-What's wrong?" Chrom felt himself begin to panic. He could deal with psychotic bandits attempting to turn his skull into a cereal bowl. But crying kids? He may as well have been a knight fighting a dragon with wooden armor. He could lead thousands of young soldiers to fight with him to their last breath, but could just as easily say one thing and cause a baby to immediately begin crying.

"I-I'm scared!" Robin admitted, burying her face into the back of Lissa's leg. "Don't leave me alone!"

"We are not going to simply leave you here," Frederick said, his tone sounding harsh. "We are going to the nearby village, and find your parents."

"I-I..." Robin began, losing her voice before once again hiding behind Lissa.

"Yes?" Chrom inquired. He could tell something was distressing the girl ever since she woke up. The way her eyes shot open when she awoke was saying something she was too afraid to say herself.

"I-I can't remember anything..." Robin began sobbing.

"What?" Lissa asked, gently placing her hand on the crying girl's head.

"I can't remember where I live..." Robin answered again. "I want to go home, but I don't know where it is!"

"I've heard of this!" Lissa realized as she shot her gaze to the others. "It's called amnesia!"

"Why would a little girl have amnesia?" Frederick scratched his chin with a hand as he pondered the answer.

"It does not matter." Chrom approached the girl, lowering to a knee. "We will help find your family, I promise." With that, he gave a cheesy grin, attempting to comfort the distressed girl.

"Y-You promise?" Robin managed to cease her sobbing, but only barely. A few occasional sniffles snuck past her without realizing it.

"I promise." Chrom gave a more genuine smile, much warmer and serious than the last.

"Can you promise Kitty?" Robin stuck the stuffed cat in the man's face, giving him the classic 'puppy-dog-eyes'.

"... You're serious?" Chrom asked, hoping that he wouldn't really have to-

"P-Please?"

-make a promise with a damned stuffed toy...

With a heavy sigh, he said, "I promise."

"You have to say her name. She won't believe you if you don't."

_I feel like such an idiot..._

"I promise... _Kitty_."

* * *

><p>With that, the party (now including Robin), made their way to the nearby village. The simple, dirt road scraped against their shoes, the crunching falling into a sort of rhythm with their steps. The weather was, luckily, pleasant. Not too warm, and not too cold, with a clear, blue sky above them.<p>

Robin clung to Lissa for the entirety of the walk, not even trying to get close to Frederick or Chrom. Both of which were in the midst of a heated conversation.

"Frederick," Chrom said deadpanned, "she's a little kid. I highly doubt she's a spy."

"My lord, that could be her plan!" Frederick 'reasoned' from atop his horse, stealing glances at the girl.

"So a six year old may be planning to kill me?" Chrom rubbed his eyes. Sometimes his personal guard, and good friend, could be a little too _overzealous_ in regards to his safety.

"_Seven_ year old!" Frederick argued. "That distinction could be the death of you, my lord!"

"Frederick," Chrom began in a sympathetic tone, "did your mother drink while she was with child?"

"Only for my brother," Frederick said in a proud tone, "that is why he drools and tries to hug everyone."

"That's... really sad actually..." Chrom said, wide-eyed.

The rest of the walk held an awkward atmosphere...

* * *

><p>It was just a few miles away from the closest village when Chrom noticed something in the air.<p>

"Halt!" he called to the others, stopping them dead in their tracks.

"What is it, Chrom?" Lissa asked, worry filling her voice. She recognized the tone her brother had used. It was one he always spoke in before a battle.

"Smell the air," Chrom ordered simply, still facing his back to the party. He withdrew his sword, Falchion, from its holster. The scrap of the metal caused Robin and Lissa to wince.

Frederick was the first to notice.

"Is that... _smoke_?"

The acrid sent flooded the air, choking the life out of the small group. The thick, heavy, and hot air meant only one thing.

"We have to move, **now**!" Chrom ordered, already in a sprint.

"My lord, wait!" Frederick called, his steed going at full speed, following his charge.

"Guys!" Lissa tried to call for them to no avail. She knew blindly rushing in was going to get someone killed. But she had _another _issue to deal with. Her eyes drifted to the child who once again clung to her leg. Lissa knew she couldn't just abandon Robin there, running off to help her friends.

"..ba-.." Robin mumbled something to herself, not allowing Lissa to see her face.

"What was that?" Lissa felt a ball of ice in her stomach. Something about what Robin tried to say made her body go cold. She couldn't say why, but she felt like she needed to just let it go; just run for her friends. Robin, however, said something that hit her like a carriage at full speed.

"Bad tactics." Robin stared straight ahead, almost like she was in a trance. "Need a plan." Her wide expression caused shivers to go down Lissa's back. The way she spoke sounded nothing like the shy little girl they had met not even three hours earlier. Her voice was monotone, yet held an icy quality to it. She sounded more like a machine than a human being.

"R-Robin?" Lissa grabbed the girl's shoulders, trying to snap her out of the strange trance. She lightly shook Robin, giving light smacks to her cheeks every few shakes.

"I have to go..." Robin sounded like a husk, no emotion whatsoever no matter where you looked. She moved her tiny legs forward, though she was blocked by Lissa. That did not stop her from trying, her feet still trying to carry her body towards the direction Chrom and Frederick ran off to.

"No! It's too dangerous!" Lissa tried to hold onto the small child, but she lost her grip and Robin slipped right through. Before she could react, Robin burst into a powerful sprint, already being out of sight before Lissa got to her feet.

"_What the hell...?_"

* * *

><p>"By the Gods!" Chrom swore as he looked upon the burning village.<p>

Bandits flooded the streets, butchering anyone unlucky enough to cross their path. The simple, wooden buildings turned into blazing infernos from the bandits' torches. Each one gave bellowing laughs as they pillaged the simple homestead, setting everything alight and stealing everything not nailed down... including the nails.

"My lord," Frederick said as he caught up to his hot-headed friend, "what do you suggest we do?"

"We kill the dastards, that's what!" Chrom wore an enraged sneer as he readied his sword, prepared to slice a few of the brigands in two.

"We need a _plan _if we are going to kill anyone," Frederick held his spear in front of the young man, blocking his progress, "we can't just run in and start swinging."

"Fine!" Chrom scanned the area around him. The stalls could provide adequate cover from arrows, and allow them to surprise a few bandits if they were careful. There looked to only be around eight or nine, certainly enough for the two to handle. He could see the leader in the distance, a large, burly man who had his hands on a young village woman who shrieked in fear, begging for help.

"You draw their attention," Chrom began, "I take out the leader."

"As you wish, my lord." Frederick could not help but smirk.

* * *

><p>"<em>Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!<em>"

Lissa ran as fast as she could, trying to catch up to Robin. She screwed up bad! She was gonna get in so much trouble!

She felt the air get hotter as she approached the village, burning brightly. The acrid scent was making her light-headed, her vision getting hazier. Still, she pushed past it. She had to find Robin!

Something made her lose her footing. She stumbled to the ground, landing face first. The pain was insignificant, but she was unprepared. The shock in her system was enough to launch her hands to her face, trying to catch the blood spilling from her nose.

"_Now I know how Sumia feels..._"

The thought was quickly extinguished from her mind when she saw what she tripped over.

It was one of the bandits, dead. He was a large, bear-like man with enough hair to confuse a wild animal. His face was a frozen expression of shock, emulating his last moments. The large slash against his stomach, still pouring out red, told Lissa who it was that killed him.

"_Good, I'm close to Chrom._"

The thought gave her relief, but she still needed to find Robin! She was stuck in the middle of this insanity!

"Lissa!" she heard a familiar voice call out to her. She turned to see Frederick riding to her, clutching his arm to his side. "Thank the Gods, I found you!"

"Fr-Frederick," Lissa began in a panic, "Have you seen Robin!?"

"What," Frederick went wide-eyed, "she's missing!?"

"After you guys left, she started acting all weird and ran off towards here!" Lissa held her staff and summoned a healing spell to fix Frederick's arm. The snapping and crunching of bone made her feel slightly queasy, something Frederick shared with her.

"What do you mean 'acted weird'?" Frederick felt a burst of anger flood his system. He knew they should not have trusted that girl! She was working with the bandits to buy them time!

"She talked funny and looked like she was in a trance." Lissa was having trouble keeping her patience. Frederick was wasting their time when they should have been looking for Robin!

"We have to find her," Frederick began, his tone cold and cruel, "she needs to tell us what the hell is going on."

"A-Alright!" Lissa gripped her staff, a look of determination on her face.

"Okay," Frederick gripped her shoulder sympathetically, "I know you must be scared. But remember that you did nothing wrong."

"Wh-What?" Lissa stared at Frederick in confusion.

"Taking a life is no light burden, believe me," Frederick gestured to the corpse Lissa fell over earlier, "but it was necessary."

"Wh-Whoa!" Lissa threw her hands up, "I didn't kill him! I thought you guys did!"

"No," Frederick furrowed his brow, "we have not made it to this part of town yet. I only came here because I heard you scream for the girl."

"_W-Was I screaming...?_" The thought made Lissa go red in the face. Something about the mental image was so... _embarrassing_.

"Do you think...?" Frederick trailed off, unable to completely voice his statement. Lissa managed to get the message though.

"What, a _kid_ take out a guy like that?" Lissa pointed to the corpse. The thought was ridiculous!

* * *

><p>"<em>Damn... Got carried away!<em>"

Chrom cursed himself as he gripped his side, keeping pressure on his wound. Blood poured from his side as he held his sword up with his free hand. It was nothing too serious as long as he got to Lissa, but that was determined by whether he could lob off the bandit chief's head before he bled out.

"Bwahahahaha!" the large bandit bellowed out, raising his large, crude, war ax to strike. "Nobles 're so damned fun! Nothin' bu' pre'y boys with fancy swords!"

Chrom fully admitted that he underestimated his opponent. He assumed the bandit was nothing more than a common thug, the type who ran at the first second of combat with a _real _opponent. So he used the more _flashy _moves, the ones made to scare instead of kill. The ones a real soldier could block like it was second nature.

"_Damned fool! Remember your training!_"

His sword shook with every hit the bandit delivered. Each one made the bones in Chrom's arm bend, becoming worse with every swing.

"_A bandit shouldn't be this powerful!_"

The thought repeated in his head over and over. He had killed hundreds of bandits, each one being nothing more than child's play. But this chief was different. He knew when to parry, _what _to parry, how to block, how to keep himself on his feet. Everything a normal bandit _couldn't _know... unless...

"You've been trained!" Chrom said aloud, taking a swing at the bandit, who easily blocked the strike. The two pressed their weapons against each other, their blades sending sparks with every centimeter they moved.

"Took ya long enough t' no'ice!" The bandit laughed once again, giving a swift kick to Chrom's groin.

The strike was able to drop Chrom to his knees, unable to block such a sudden and _dirty _attack.

"Bu' where I'm from, we don't waste no time on any _honor _bullshit!" The bandit raised his ax above his head, ready to strike. "As long as yer enemy's dead, ya win!"

Chrom tried to raise his sword, but a violent shock of pain kept it paralyzed. He looked down to see something just barely jutting out of the skin. Blood started to spill from the spot, enough to make his grip loose and unsteady.

"_Damn... he got me..._"

Chrom closed his eyes, waiting for the strike. Nothing he could do could prevent the ax from hitting him. His legs felt like gelatine, his muscles practically screaming. The adrenaline from earlier was wearing off, making him feel like his body weighed a million tons.

"Will you just get it over wi—huh?" Chrom opened his eyes, noticing how long the bandit was taking. But now he understood why.

The bandit was dead, a bronze sword sticking out of his chest, someone impaling him from behind. The bandit fell to his knees, his hand gripping the blade.

"Damned... nobles..." the bandit chief choked out, "ya... got me..."

With that, the bandit fell face first onto the ground, the sword sliding out on the way. A puddle of dark red covered the ground from the freshly made corpse.

But the whole while, Chrom could only look to the killer, his savior.

"Robin...?"

He stared in a mix of horror and astonishment as the small child dropped the sword, the weapon clattering on the paved road. The girl ran to Chrom, wrapping her tiny arms around his chest.

He could only hear her say one thing before she fell asleep against him.

"_Daddy_..."

* * *

><p><em>AN_

What is up, everybody? This is Plague with a _new _story. Jeez, I have ADD or something, don't I?

Anyway, I decided to write this because I saw a vast amount of FE:A retellings, most being novelizations of the game or slight changes. You know, like Robin having his/her memory when they join; or they focus on the romance between two characters; etc.

Well, a thought occurred to me one day. "It'd be cool to see Robin as something _drastically _different than when they meet him/her."

So I had two choices really stick with me:

A) Have Robin be a little kid.

Or

B) Have Robin be like Casca from Berserk (post-eclipse). AKA: Stark raving insane and unable to even talk.

Little kid one sounded more fun, because I can torture certain characters with it; and because I'm a big ol' softie who thinks kids are cute... DON'T YOU JUDGE ME!

But yeah, that's pretty much the story. Robin is a little kid instead of an adult, and the ramifications of that. Because you _know _that there are ethical issues of using a kid as a soldier. So that should be fun.

Until next time, this has been Griped telling you to fuck money and make bitches, children.


	2. Chapter 2

The town had recovered just as quickly as it had been destroyed. The fires were put out, the rubble cleared as best they could, and the dead buried from the attack.

The Shepherds had stayed a few days, overseeing the repair and resting from the exhausting ordeal. Though, they were mainly waiting for a certain child to reawaken from her deep sleep.

"My lord," Frederick said, laying his back against the wall of the quaint room of the quaint inn they stayed in during the recovery. Chrom sat next to the bed that held Robin, who had still been asleep ever since the battle ended. "We do not have the luxury to delay any longer. We have to get to the capital, or we are surely going to cause an issue."

"I know that," Chrom said, never taking his eyes off the small girl, "I just want some answers."

"We all do," Lissa added, walking into the room with a tray holding a teapot and three small cups, "but we can take her with us and question her when she wakes up."

"I-I know," Chrom ran a hand through his hair, feeling foolish. Why was he wasting time that he knew he did not have the luxury for? "I guess I'm being a little impatient."

"It would make sense that you desire answers out of her the most," Frederick flew in to defend his friend's actions, "she not only saved you, but killed a man to do so as well."

"I think it may have been more than one," Chrom brought up, shocking the two speechless. Lissa and Frederick both struggled for words.

"When I was helping the mayor go through the causalities earlier today, he accounted for bandits in parts of town we never made it too." Chrom rubbed his eyes, feeling a wave of exhaustion he never knew was waiting for him.

"So she ran around slicing throats?" Lissa looked at the girl in horror.

"No," Chrom turned to his sister, "it was more than that. Their outfits were decorated, showing a sort of _hierarchy_ to them. Sub-generals, I guess."

"What are you talking about?" Frederick was trying to unpackage just what Chrom was trying to imply. So one little girl killed _experienced _soldiers? Did she pick and choose?

"I'm saying that they were almost..._ targeted_." Chrom looked back to the girl, his voice becoming lighter. "She knew who to kill to help collapse the attack. The lack of leadership sent the bandits scurrying, no one being able to tell them what to do."

"How could a kid know how to foil an attack like that?" Lissa poured herself a up of tea, suddenly remembering why she entered the room to begin with.

"I don't know..." Chrom admitted, getting a cup himself.

"It would take years to learn the information to pull off such a move," Frederick rejected the cup Lissa offered him, preferring to continue the conversation. "It would involve being able to recognize specific symbols and their meanings _in the middle of battle_. Most new soldiers panic and forget about tactics in the first two minutes."

"So what do you think?" Chrom asked, taking a drink.

"I think..." Frederick searched for the right words, "we are dealing with a tactical genius... or a well-trained spy willing to buy our trust, even killing her own side."

"You're dead set on the 'spy' thing, aren't you?" Lissa giggled at the paranoia Frederick held.

"It is better to be sure than dead!" Frederick could not help but blush at the teasing of Lissa.

"No matter," Chrom rose from his seat, placing his now empty cup on the tray that sat on the small table next to the bed. "You are right, we have to get moving towards the capital."

"What about her?" Lissa asked, her eyes drifting towards the peaceful child, still cuddling her stuffed cat.

"We're taking her with us," Chrom said to the shock of his companions. "As you said, Frederick, she could be a tactical genius. We cannot let such a valuable asset slip from our grasp."

"Whoa-whoa-whoa!" Lissa interjected, "are you saying that she's gonna _join_ us!?"

"Not just join," Chrom said, "I want her to handle our tactics and strategy."

"M-My lord!" Frederick immediately regretted his earlier statement. "I know what I said, but quite frankly, you cannot rely on a child to do something of that magnitude!"

"You know how she killed those bandits!"

"They could have just been ones she picked out!" Frederick reasoned. "For all we know, she probably never killed them herself! Maybe a few villagers defeated them instead!"

"I saw the wounds," Chrom admitted, "each slash was low, very low. Usually targeting the legs or mid-chest. The chest wounds were angled _up_. So either a dwarf was lending his aid, or a child was."

"I'm sorry..." Lissa sat back down, rubbing her temples with her palms, "this is just so surreal..."

"What of her family, my lord?" Frederick tried to reason with his friend, "She must have parents out there, looking for her!"

"I thought of that," Chrom's tone grew cold, "I believe that she... may be orphaned."

"What!?" Lissa practically screamed. If her brother was going to claim something like that, he'd better have a damn good explanation for it!

"Children tend to repress traumatic events," Chrom explained, "and she's kept that toy with her since day one."

"And that means her family is dead how?" Frederick crossed his arms.

"I think that she is protective of it because someone she was close to gave it to her," Chrom sat on the bed, next to Robin. "Her amnesia could be linked to a mental repression, to protect her psyche after she lost whoever gave the toy to her. More than likely, her parents."

"That is assuming a lot..." Frederick noticed how desperate Chrom's arguments were. He seemed to really want take the girl...

"None of the survivors recognized her either," Chrom scratched his cheek with a hand, "I don't think she lives here."

"And you think we should take her with us?" Lissa was still uncertain. On one hand, they couldn't just abandon a young girl when no one she knows was anywhere to be found. On the other, her brother was willing to place an _enormous _responsibility on her shoulders.

"If she didn't help us, we might have lost the battle," Chrom admitted, his voice quiet and solemn. "These bandits were not like any of the others we've faced before. They were well-trained, well-equipped. They were _soldiers_. They could have easily organized to wipe out just three enemies, no matter who they were."

Chrom's thoughts drifter back to the battle. He didn't notice until he thought back on it, but his deductions were correct. He couldn't just hack away at any of them and expect a victory. He had to watch his movements, along with theirs. The chief most of all. The ring leader of the group was the one to make Chrom realize just who he was fighting.

"His accent..." Chrom said aloud, the thought hit him harder than any blow he had received in battle. "They were _Plegian_ men."

"Plegian?" Frederick asked, confusion clear on his face.

"What would Plegians do this far in Ylisse?" Lissa took another sip of her tea, long since gone cold. "This isn't one of the border towns, this is a decent ways in."

"I think they attacked under orders." Chrom rose to his feet once more, adrenaline bursting into his system. "They had the equipment and training of foot soldiers pretending to be bandits. I think they were _ordered _to attack, knowing we'd intervene."

"Are you sure about that, my lord?" Frederick felt his back tense up. "A direct military attack on one of our villages would mean full-scale war."

"It's just a theory," Chrom said, calming himself down. He didn't need to go and spout off anti-Plegian theories yet. "But I think we need to get to the capital, sooner rather than later."

"Right," Lissa said, pumping her fist in the air. "We can talk with Emm, see what she thinks we should do!"

"Right," Chrom said, picking up Robin bridal-style, who was still fast-asleep, "let's get moving."

* * *

><p>The party wasted no time leaving the humble village. Already they were miles away, going through a forested area. The heavy amount of trees blocked long-range vision, only being able to see a dozen feet or so through the plants.<p>

"_Chrooom~_!" Lissa whined, her inner princess coming out at full-force, "Can't we camp for the night?"

"Weren't you the one who said, 'I would rather die than sleep in some old forest!' when we left town?" Chrom snapped back at his sister.

"Well, yeah!" Lissa admitted proudly. "That was before I realized how far we are from the capital!"

"Camping will just make the trip longer..." Chrom tried to reason. Emphasis on 'try', as he himself felt the consequences of their endless walking. His impatience to leave as soon as possible caused the party to skip the meal that the town mayor offered them. His stomach growled like an enraged demon, demanding the flesh of an animal to satiate its desires.

"My lord, if I may," Frederick began, trying to keep the small child, who was _still asleep_, from falling off his horse. Every so often, she would slide to one side before a well-timed nudge who balance her again... until she drifted the other side. The micro-managing was frustrating, as apparent by the sound of Frederick's grinding teeth. "It may be best to rest for the night," Frederick looked to the setting sun, the sky turning a dark purple, "we do not want to be ambushed in the dark. Especially with our hunger and fatigue."

"Fine." Chrom stopped suddenly, tripping up Lissa and Frederick's horse. "We'll camp here for the night."

"Alright!" Lissa gave another pump of her fist, with a little jump to accentuate it.

"I'll go hunt us a bear to celebrate your victory." Chrom gave a cruel smirk.

"Wha-!? Chrom you jerk! You know I-!"

* * *

><p>"CAN'T STAND BEAR MEAT!"<p>

Lissa stared at the sliced piece of a freshly hunted bear Chrom had given her. She could barely keep her vomit down as she watched her brother dig into the awful-smelling, gamey meat. The group were all sitting on the ground around a small campfire, the only source of light in the forest beyond the stars.

"You should eat," Chrom said, sitting upon a rock, a wicked smile on his face, "You need to keep your strength up."

"I'll pass..." Lissa pushed the small slice of bear away from her. She sat with her knees against her chin, closer to Frederick than Chrom.

"My lady," Frederick said, sitting in a meditative position. One that should have been impossible to maneuver into due to his armor, but he should no issue with it. "You should not be so close minded, we do not have the luxury to purchase filet mignon on a regular basis."

"Oh yeah?" Lissa countered, a pout on her face, "What about you? You haven't touched your share!"

"O-Oh!" Frederick said in a panic, "I-I had a big lunch! So I am n-not very hungry!"

"If Robin was awake, she wouldn't take any of that stuff either!" Lissa tried using the child, currently sleeping next to Lissa, still clutching her toy.

"Using a seven year old is not a good argument..." Chrom said, exasperated.

"Whatever your say Mr. 'I'm Gonna Make This Little Girl My Army's Tactician'!" Lissa stuck out her tongue.

"Mmmph..." Robin groaned in her sleep, the first noise heard out of her in over three days. She tightened her eyes, tossing around lightly. Finally, the small lids slid open, observing the scenery around her.

"She's awake." Chrom said simply, catching the others' attentions.

Robin gave a small yawn before getting to her feet. She scanned around her, seeing that they were not at the field anymore.

"Wh-Where are we?" Robin asked, shaking slightly as she looked into the dark forest that she was sure held all sorts of terrible monsters.

"We are going to the capital." Frederick handed the girl a slice of meat, much to Lissa's disgust. "We have urgent business to attend to there."

"Capital...?" Robin repeated the word, saying it slowly. As if she was getting a feel for the unfamiliar term.

"It means, uh, an important city," Chrom said, swallowing a chunk of bear as he talked.

"Wh-What about my parents...?" Robin asked, her voice crushed and hopeless. Small dots of tears formed in her eyes as she hugged her cat hard against her.

"We..." Chrom searched for the right words, "We couldn't find them. I don't think they lived in that town."

"What town...?" Robin asked, confused at what the blue-haired man was saying. She couldn't remember them ever visiting a town.

"T-The town," was all Chrom could say. Every thought was ripped from his head after the little girl denied ever visiting a town with them. "Don't you remember? We were walking down the path; I smelled smoke; me and Frederick ran off and fought the bandits?"

Robin merely shook her head.

"All I remember is me and you guys walking down a road." Robin stared at her feet, apprehension filling her tiny body. "Then I woke up right here..."

"So you really cannot remember anything else?" Frederick said, suspicion filling his own body. "Not the attack, or anything like that?"

"N-No..." Robin once again had tears in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry!"

"Hey, Frederick! Back off of her!" Lissa barked at the knight, giving the small child a hug.

"Well, that's what happened." Chrom pushed the conversation forward. "The village was raided by bandits. We managed to fend them off, but something about them made me suspicious. So we're going to the capital to report it."

"Suspicious...?" Robin gave a wide-eyed look as she repeated yet another unfamiliar word.

"Distrustful, makes you want to find out if they're doing something wrong." Chrom went red-faced as he gave his interpretation. He scolded himself for forgetting who his audience was yet again.

Robin nodded as she nibbled on the chunk of meat she had. Her face was in a content grin as she chewed on the cooked bear.

Chrom shot a glare at his sister, as if saying, "_See?_"

Lissa answered by sticking her tongue out again.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, after the party had finished their meal, the four set out their bedrolls to rest for the night. Robin, having none, shared with Lissa. Even with the space that the two took up, the bedroll fit both of them with enough to spare.<p>

Frederick was fast asleep, still sitting in his meditative pose, this time _on the bedroll_, both legs crossed. His gentle breathing was the only clue to any outside looker that the man was "resting".

Chrom, however, could not sleep. He laid on his mat, staring into the night sky. He couldn't tell what, but something was bothering him. A ball of ice solidified in his gut, chilling his whole body. The young warrior tried to push the feeling away, trying to drown his worry in calming thoughts. He counted sheep, imagined a peaceful rain, thought of decapitating enemies, but nothing worked.

His thoughts went to his theory, of the bandits Plegian origin, but that didn't feel right either. Something else was keeping his mind going, not allowing him to relax. Chrom closed his eyes, hoping that it would force him to sleep. But when he shut his eyes, he heard a familiar voice in his mind.

"_Daddy..._"

It was Robin's voice. Before she collapsed against him after the battle, she had called him her father.

"_Father._" The word was bitter on his tongue. He could never be a dad. He was reckless, impatient, hot-headed, and addicted to battle. He could never see himself settled down with a wife and kids, that was just not _him_.

And yet...

"_Daddy..._"

He could not help but repeat the word in Robin's voice. Something about it was strange.

"_To hell with it!_"

Chrom gave up on sleep, rising from his bedroll. He stretched out his limbs before walking a ways into the forest, hoping to get some air.

"_Hopefully tonight'll be peaceful..._"

The earthquake had other plans...

* * *

><p><em>AN_

_On Christmas Day  
>I travel 'round the world and say<br>Taoists, Krishnas, Buddhists, and all you atheists too  
>Merry Fucking Christmas to you!<em>

"Merry Fucking Christmas": By Mr. Garrison.

That shall be the most widely sung carol of all time!

Anyway, not much to say. :I

I pumped out this chapter in time fore Christmas, because I love you guys. :3

But yeah, not really too funny **or **adventurous. More talking and discussing things. But the reason I cut it there is because I want the portal event thingy to have its own chapter, because that's a **pretty big _fucking deal_**!

Originally, this was all going to be **one** long chapter, but I ended up breaking it into separate chunks for the sake of time.

I'll start working on the next chapter soon, I just need to get my _**new plasma screen TV set up**_! I fucking love this holiday!


	3. Chapter 3

Even looking back on it, no one could tell just what exactly happened.

They could remember feeling the ground shake like the Earth itself was a child's play-toy.

They could recall the way the sky tore open, revealing a blue portal in the midst of the night-sky.

They could still smell the burning, as flaming meteors flew from the portal, incinerating entire chunks of the dense forest in a matter of moments.

And they could still remember seeing _figures _fall to the ground from the sky's wound.

"CHROM!" The blue-haired man heard his sister shout from behind him, her pupils the size of pinpricks. "What the heck is going on!?"

"I-I don't know!" Chrom tried to balance his breathing, feeling the early stages of shock setting in. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't let the strange, alien tear in the sky distress him. He had to have a clear head for what was about to happen.

They both saw it fall to the ground. But they still had no idea what _it _was.

It struck the ground, making a sickening thud. Despite the clearly fatal fall, it rose to its feet. Rotting flesh fell off every few seconds, revealing yellow, decaying bone. They could see dead, torn internal organs as it turned towards the two. Its jaw hung open, revealing a mass of rotten, dead, broken teeth. Its growl was strained, as if it were in agony and begging for death. One eye hung out of its socket, the other popped and revealing the innards of its skull.

Despite all of this, it shambled towards them.

"WH-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?" Lissa shrieked in a panic, gripping her staff for dear life.

"I-I don't know!"

The scene gave them both a sense of deja vu, but the strange sensation had to wait another time.

Though the creature started slowly, its legs shot from the ground, already swinging its rusted sword at Chrom. In a matter of seconds, the two met blades, Falchion versus the sword that looked as dead as its owner.

"_Damn!_" Chrom bit his lip, straining to keep the monster at bay. "_How is this thing __**that **__strong!?_"

The creature began swinging wildly, howling like a demon the whole time. Each impact pushed Chrom further back, threatening to throw Falchion from his hands.

Chrom saw how the beast had such strength. The swings were accompanied by chunks of flesh that ripped from their owner, flying wildly around the forest. The creature did not seem to notice, still swinging its sword wildly.

"_I can't get a shot at it!_" Every blow happened after another, mere moments between them. The kind of speed it possessed would have made a normal human's muscles explode, no matter how much training they possessed.

One final strike finally broke Chrom's defense.

Falchion flew from his hands, the young man following close behind. The force of the monster's attack launched Chrom from the ground, slamming him against a nearby tree. He had to bite his cheek as the pain threatened to overwhelm him. He could feel a few broken ribs jiggle around in his body with every slight movement. Not fatal, but extraordinarily painful.

"Chrom!" Lissa ran to her brother, the beast taking time to relocate its arms after the last strike, both knocked out of place by the force.

"Look out!" Chrom yelled to his sister, seeing the monster attempt another attack, its arms back in order. It seemed to transport, its legs going so fast that it was hard to keep track of the monster.

"Huh?" Lissa looked to see the beast mere inches away from her, the pungent smell of rotten meat flooding her nose. "WAAAH!" she couldn't help but shriek once more.

Lissa blindly swung her staff, coming in contact with its skull. A sickening crack made its way through her arms, vibrating her tiny, feminine hands. Her eyes were shut tight, wanting to avoid seeing her last moments.

The beast gave once finally moan before falling onto the ground, disintegrating on its way. Its body melted down into dust and a cloud of purple smoke, armor and sword with it. Not a single shred of evidence was left to say that the rotting corpse had just tried to kill them.

"Wow..." Lissa whispered out, still in shock, "I am so **badass**!"

* * *

><p>"Robin!" Frederick called out, atop his horse. The experienced knight could tell something was awry the minute the earthquake began. He quickly hopped upon his steed and readied his lance, a massive weapon that shined brightly due to the silver used to forge it. His eyes scanned the forest, trying to find the little girl that seemed to have vanished when the forest was set ablaze.<p>

All he could see was an army of corpses, all coming for him.

"My Gods..." Frederick could only force the words out. The creatures shambled and stumbled their way forward, their arms limply swinging around, holding their various weapons with iron-hard grips.

"R-Robin!" He began calling her name again. Trying to find that familiar cloak in the midst of all of the madness. But despite his straining vocal cords, the moans of the creatures drowned out his voice, all becoming louder as they closed the distance between them.

"To hell with it!" Frederick raised his lance to the horde, a look of pure rage upon him, and even his horse. He kicked the steed's side twice, signaling it to charge.

His war cry was the only thing that could pierce the collective moans.

* * *

><p>Robin didn't know where to go. She was so tired...<p>

Her tiny legs shuffled forward, despite her exhaustion. The forest was so thick and dark, but she had to keep going. They needed her.

"_I have to make a plan... have to find the masked man..._"

Those thoughts repeated over and over. She kept forcing herself forward without realizing it. She just wanted to go to bed, hug Kitty, maybe talk Lissa into telling her a story. But she knew she had to find the Masked Man.

The Masked Man was all she could think about. She saw him fall from the sky while Chrom and Lissa were fighting the monster. She had followed the two when the earthquake began, as she was scared at what was going on. But when she saw the creature, a switch flipped inside of her. All she could think of was what kind of plan they needed. The plan involved the Masked Man. The plan. The plan. The plan.

It was all she could think of.

The plan was the most important part. Play time could wait. She needed to make a plan. Stories could wait. She needed to make a plan. Kitty could wait. She needed a plan. Needed to not be such a spoiled shit!

Those thoughts were all that came to her, almost instinctively. As though someone sewed them to her brain.

"_I need to not be worthless! I need to be a good girl! Good girls make plans when they're told to!_"

Bad ones cry when they should be making plans. Girls get hit when they're bad. So she can't be bad.

"Take this, foul monster!"

Robin could hear the Masked Man. He was close.

"_Damn!_" The masked figure shouted to himself as he cleaved another of the undead monsters in two, watching it disintegrating as it smashed against its 'comrades'. But even though he had been making quick work of the Risen, more were stumbling their way towards him.

He didn't have time for this! He had to find Chrom and Lissa!

"_I screwed up the portal! How stupid could I have been!?_"

The masked man scolded himself as he decapitated another of the Risen. He swiftly dodged the arrow one of them shot towards him, embedding itself in the tree behind him. He swung his longsword and detatched the Risen's top half from its bottom half, watching it explode into smoke and dust.

His breaths were ragged and heavy as the fighting continued, more Risen throwing themselves against him. The barrage may not have push him in regards to skill, but certainly in endurance. His sword was growing heavier by the minute, harder to raise and swing. His vision was growing hazier, turning into pinpricks in his eyes. He was sure that he had reached his limit.

That is, until he saw a familiar purple cloak, with a head of white hair, wandering around the forest.

"_Robin!?_"

A burst of adrenaline flowed through the masked man, pushing him off his knees and towards the girl, cleaving Risen left and right on the way. The distance shortened with every step, minutes turning into seconds and feet into centimeters.

The man reached his hand out, grabbing at the cloak. Once he had a good handful, he pulled the cloak towards him, the girl following suit.

He did not know how far he ran. He could not even hear anything. He simply threw his legs into a lightning-fast rhythm, not allowing the Risen a single chance to catch up to him. He ran and ran, until he spotted upon a familiar man on a horse, fending off Risen to the best of his abilities as he probably was unaware of the 'rules' in regards to defeating them.

* * *

><p>More of the undead threw themselves at Chrom and Lissa, both fighting as hard as they physically could.<p>

The clouds of smoke were getting thicker, choking the two. The ash was covering the ground like snow, turning into piles of purple dust.

The moans were drilling themselves into the duo's heads shaking them to the bone. The mere sound of it was enough to terrify a lesser soldier. The guttural, violent moans sounded as though the beasts' lungs were tearing apart in their bodies, which was true in some cases.

The horde was circling around the two, surrounding them on all sides. The vast numbers were enough to block out any sight of the trunks of the trees. The clanking and clanging of the rusted armor drowned out even the sounds of the thick fire still burning the trees, and even some of the zombies.

"_Zombies..._" The word made Chrom chuckle. He felt like he was part of a bad horror story.

Chrom pushed the thought away as he sliced another limb of another ghoul, watching it fall apart into ash. He looked to see Lissa, swinging her staff at the creatures' heads. She had managed to kill more than one by that point, learning that she had to hit them in the head to kill them. Chrom seemed to have had the luxury to merely need to deliver a slash with Falchion to finish them.

That detail was diminished by the massive number of undead, as each swing was costing him valuable energy.

"Waaah!" Lissa shrieked again, for the third time that night. A ghoul pulling her to the ground and laying atop her. "G-Get it off! Help!"

"Lissa!" Chrom tried to help his sister, but was surrounded by zombies, unable to even move from his spot. He could only listen to her screams as the beast raised its rusting ax, ready to chop her head like a watermelon.

The sound of an arrow tore through the wind, followed by the sound of it piercing the skull of the ghoul atop Lissa.

"Captain Chrom! Wait! I'm coming! ...Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em. All right, you ash-faced freaks! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first? I know just the spot for it: shoved right up your-!" The two heard a brazen, angry woman shout before being interrupted. They recognized the first voice as their good friend, Sully. But the second one was strange, prissy, and annoying.

"Hold, milady!" the second voice called, a man trying to do his best 'romantic and charming' impression.

"Muh?" Sully let herself be distracted by the annoying man, still out of vision to the two who were _fighting for their lives_!

"Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting! Would you leave me in your sweet dust? Leave war to the warrors, dear bird! A beauty such as you need wage only love." The prissy man continued his moronic quest to romance Sully, who the two knew personally was about to combine a boot and a man in a way that was illegal in some parts of Ylisse.

"...The hell are you?!" Sully merely screamed out, unsure if she was dealing with someone who had 'special' problems.

"Ha! Is the lady intrigued? Of course you are—it's only natural. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage! The man who puts the "arch" in 'archer'! My name, dear lady, is Vi-!" The man was swiftly cut off by an impatient Sully.

"Sorry, Ruffles—no time for this. Onward!" The two heard her horse give off a mighty war cry, reading itself for battle.

"Virion! ...Er, my name. It's Virion. W-wait! Where are you going? Pray, at least tell me your name!" The man known as Virion began to sound desperate.

"_WILL YOU TWO HURRY IT UP ALREADY!?_" Chrom shouted in his mind, still fending off zombies on every side of him.

"I'm Sully. ...And I'm a Shepherd..."

Chrom almost gave up on waiting for the two to help them, going back to fighting for _his life_ against the ever approaching mass of ghouls.

"'Sully'! How divine! A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly. Will you marry me, my dearest Sully?" Virion's voice sounded whimsically stupid. As though he was a brain damaged puppy trying to swim in a puddle of water on he street.

"Will I what now? Oh wait, I get it... This is a joke. And when I put my boot through your face—that's the punch line." Sully's frustration was clearly growing. She realized that she was wasting time on the idiot, and she needed to get a move on if she was gonna kick ass and take names, and then give those names to other asses she kicked.

"I realize my manly figure and noble bearing can be overwhelming. 'Tis common! So please, don't feel pressured to answer right a-"

"How's THIS for an answer?!"

Chrom could hear the man grunt and fall to his knees. Sully clearly gave him one of her famous 'No X-juniors for you!' kicks.

"OOF! G-goodness, but those shapely legs certainly can kick, can't they... P-please, milady! Allow me to accompany you, at least! Mine is a cold, empty world without you. I shall be your most willing servant, and you, in turn, will give my life purpose..." Virion's voice was strained, him clearly trying to recover from the blow to his manhood.

Sully gave a heavy sigh, seeing she had no choice in the matter.

"Fine... Anything to shut you up. ...What? Stop staring at me like that!"

"OH MY GODS, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND HELP US!" Chrom screamed.

* * *

><p>Frederick was having trouble fending off the horde of ghouls. No matter what blow he gave them, they simply got back up and came at him again! The only permanent solution he found was a heavy strike to the head, smashing their brains. With that, they disintegrated and died.<p>

But that was hard to pull of when there were twenty of them all coming at once.

"_Damn! I was a fool, now I'm surrounded._" Frederick searched for a bright light in the bleak scenario.

"_At least this means that less are after Lord Chrom and Lady Lissa_." He was willing to take on a few zombies for the sake of saving his charges.

He heard a grunt, along with one of the ghouls' moans and the sounds of a sword cutting through rotting flesh.

Frederick looked to see a man wearing a mask, his blue hair short. His clothing was of a soldier, but one of high ranking. He shook the thought away. He needed to focus on killing the ghouls, not on the clothes of a helpful ally.

"Aim for the head!" The man called out to Frederick, slicing off the head of one of the creatures to demonstrate.

"I am," Frederick grunted as he blocked the blow of a ghoul, allowing his armored arm absorb the strike, "quite aware of that!"

Frederick almost lost sight of the man, him already slashing his way through the zombies ferociously. But one detail paralyzed Frederick in his place.

It was Robin. She was just standing in the middle of the forest, zombies encroaching her. Despite the clear danger, the young girl simply stood, her face in a dream-like state.

"Robin!" Frederick called out, swinging his lance and clearing out six zombies at once. His horse tore through the rotting monsters, their bodies falling apart from the force. He dismounted from the mighty beast, bringing its mighty hooves to the unfortunate ghouls that tried to harm its master.

"Robin!" Frederick grabbed Robin's shoulders, inspecting the girl for any wounds. She had none, but Robin merely stared off into space. "Robin! Are you alright!" Frederick could not tell what was wrong. The little girl simply stared off, muttering to herself so quietly that Frederick could not tell what she was saying. He saw a trail of red, pouring from her nose. It was thick and crimson, smelling of copper.

"Masked... Man..." Was all she muttered, looking at the figure, cleaving his way towards the two.

"What about him?" Frederick demanded, seeing more ghouls approaching, "Did he hurt you!?"

"Get him... to Chrom..." Robin's words spilled from her lips, sounding dazed and confused.

"Robin!" Frederick screamed, shaking the girl roughly. She wasn't making any sense!

"Wh-Why are you mad at me...?" Robin's eyes began to become wet. Little sniffles began once more, this time bringing more blood from her nose. "I made a good plan...! I'm a good girl!"

"R-Robin!" Frederick shook the girl once more, trying to snap her out of the strange state. He saw the ghouls, mere inches away, raising their weapons.

"_Damn it!_"

He whistled, calling his steed to him. The mighty warhorse was there in mere moments, ashes covering its armored body. Frederick placed the girl on top of the horse, gently laying her onto its saddle.

Frederick looked to the masked figure, who was looking directly at him in surprise.

"Get to Chrom!" Frederick called to him. "You may use my horse if you need to!"

"Watch out!" The figure answered back.

Frederick turned his head to see one of the ghouls swing its blade at him.

* * *

><p>Chrom and his group were holding off the zombies fairly well. Virion was skilled with a bow, as he had boasted, and Sully was just as monstrous as they remembered. Arrows and limbs littered the air as they cleaned out the clearing they fought in.<p>

"Chrom, behind you!" Lissa called out, watching one of the monsters be clever and attempt to sneak up on her brother while he was preoccupied with one of its 'allies'.

"Got 'im!"

The creature's head exploded as Sully smashed her lance against its head, spraying bone and brain matter around as the beast fell.

Virion was firing arrows left and right, each one hitting their mark. One after the other fell as his arrows tore through skull after skull.

"This is simply too easy." Virion smirked as he readied another shot.

"Ruffles, watch out!" Sully called, seeing a zombie raise its own bow towards him.

The creature was crushed under the hooves of a familiar knight's horse. However, it held no knight upon it. Instead it was a masked man and an unconscious child who rode upon it.

"Who are you!?" Lissa called out, seeing the man leap from the horse and join the fighting. "Where's Frederick!?"

"Fight now! Talk later!" The man simply said, raising a silver longsword and blocking a strike.

The group of warriors continued like this, continually fighting and scrapping past death at every moment. They had to finish the battle quickly, their energy getting lower every minute they kept going. The crowd of beasts was getting thicker, the moans louder, the clanks heavier.

"Horse..." Robin moaned out, still atop Frederick's steed. She gripped the reigns as she raised herself up, still woozy from her state. "We have to get going. We have to do the plan."

The horse moved slowly, trying to keep its rider stable. It instinctively rode forward at the tiny kicks of the 'rider'. The momentum built, and the horse shot off like an arrow as the rider pulled out a small book.

"Get their attention..." Robin muttered to herself, reading the book as she shook atop the steed, "Chop off the head."

She knew where she had to go.

* * *

><p>"<em>Damn it!<em>"

Frederick smashed against a tree, blood spilling from his mouth. His bones were either creaking or slicing into his flesh, long since broken.

His eyes shot to his assailant, a massive ghoul holding a war-hammer the size of a log. The idea that such a weapon could exist baffled the knight. Every slam made Frederick's bones jiggle in is body, threatening to snap apart like twigs. If he had not had his armor, he would have become paste after the first hit.

"_I can only avoid it..._" Frederick looked to his weapon, behind the ghoul. The beast would have killed him, had it not have been for that strange man warning him beforehand. He managed to raise his lance and block the blow, losing his weapon and breaking his right arm in the process.

Frederick scanned around, seeing that it was only he and the ghoul. Strangely, they were alone. They were practically swarming him an hour ago, yet now he was in the midst of a duel, with no other opponents in sight.

"_I just need a chance!_" Frederick bounced his eyes between his weapon and the ghoul, searching for the window he needed. Even with his broken arm and ribs, he could still wield his weapon and fight! He simply needed to push the pain from his mind. Let the adrenaline do its work. And cut the dastard's head off.

"I just need a chance..." Frederick repeated aloud. But the ghoul was not allowing any sort of opportunity to arrive. If he dove to the side, the monster could easily swing in that direction. If he tried to dive under it, its legs would be in the way, leaving him wide open. If he tried to push through it, the pain would overwhelm him, as he no longer had the strength to push such a beast.

A crack of lightning shot through the forest, smashing against the creature and sending it flying. The sound of hooves was getting closer, telling Frederick one thing.

"_R-Robin!?_"

He looked to see the young girl, holding a spell book, still in her dazed state; her lids half-closed and blood streaming from her nose, staining her robe.

"Cut off the head..." Robin said, almost dreamily. She gave a tiny yawn before falling asleep on top of Frederick's horse, a small smile on her face.

"_I have a shot now!_"

Frederick wasted no time. In seconds, he was on his feet and going for his lance. He gripped the weapon with his unbroken arm, clutching the other one against him. He readied the weapon, the ghoul got to its feet, bones cracking and snapping the whole way.

"Come at thee, foul creature!" Frederick taunted, seeing the monster shambling towards the girl.

The ghoul turned its head towards him, bones snapping and crackling. Its body still moved for Robin, head fixated on Frederick the whole time.

"Don't go for the girl!" Frederick shouted, dropping his formal tongue, "Come at me!"

The zombie still shuffled for Robin.

"Come on, you rotting bag of pus! Kill me!"

Frederick tried to move, but his legs would not respond. They did not hurt, or ache, or even tickle. They were simply numb, unable to follow his brain's commands. He had to get moving!

The moans of the undead dastard grew excited as it arrived at Frederick's horse, which was kicking wildly at the monster. The beast merely slammed its fist against the horse, knocking it unconscious. A rotting hand grabbed the little girl, still sleeping innocently, unaware of the fatal danger she was in.

"_Shit! I have to do something __**now**__!_"

Frederick gripped at something, _anything_ that he could use to help deal with the pain. He grabbed a small, white rag in his pocket. Stuffed it into a bundle. And placed it into his mouth.

"_This is going to hurt __**a lot**__..._"

Frederick switched his lance over to his broken right arm, his dominant hand. He bit down as blinding pain electrocuted his system. He raised his arm up, readying it to throw the lance. Frederick could taste bile threatening to flood his mouth, the pain making him gag.

But despite this, he pulled his arm back... and threw the spear.

* * *

><p><em>AN_

TWO CHAPTERS IN TWO DAYS, BITCHES!

Don't get used to it, though. In fact, I may slow down after this one. :I

But yeah, pretty crazy battle huh?

This chapter felt really weird to write, jumping around so much, but it was fun!

Also! I teased a bit of Robin's backstory... Preeetty fucked up, right?

Trust me, I will do things that will make you go, "_WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU_!?" to that kid. She will get no mercy.

Anyways, I'm making this short. Got a Papa John's pizza I am trying to enjoy, and this is holding me back from it.

Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

"Was that the last of them?" The masked man sheathed his blade, gasping heavily at the peace they were given.

"I think so..." Lissa waved her staff over Chrom's arm, healing it of the arrow wound he had sustained during the fighting.

"Thank gods!" Sully could barely keep herself on her feet, taking on a majority of the fighting. It was always a habit of hers to overexert herself, but she didn't care. Nobody was dead, so she did a damn good job.

"I must say," Virion said, clutching his bow, "are these creatures common in your land?"

"Not to my knowledge," Chrom kept his eyes peeled for any more of the undead beasts.

"Wait..." The masked man's tone gre worried. He flew into a panic, running around and trying to find something. "Oh gods! I failed again!"

"What is it?" Lissa could feel her eyes growing heavier. She was tempted to simply lay on the ground and catch a few hours of sleep, but the frenzied savior was holding her back from her rest.

"Where is the horse!?" The man stated, almost accusingly.

"What horse?" Sully asked, scratching her own behind the ear.

"T-The one I rode on to get here!" The man's breathing grew ragged once more, this time full of anxiety rather than exhaustion.

"You mean Frederick's..." Chrom's words fell apart as he realized what the implication of the stranger riding in on his friend's faithful steed without _Frederick _meant. "Oh gods!"

* * *

><p>Frederick could not hold back a scream as he chucked the spear, the bone of his arm jutting out from his skin.<p>

The silver lance flew through the air, aimed for the beast holding a particular, unconscious child.

The impact was heavy, tearing the beast clean in two. The point dug clean into its skull, taking its torso along for the ride to a nearby tree, embedding itself deep. Its rotten hand dropped Robin, who landed onto the ground with a heavy thud. Frederick tried to get to his feet, but his broken bones kept him in place.

A heavy cough brought the taste of copper to his mouth.

"_Damn it! I must have gotten wounded worse than I thought..._"

The thought seemed to confirm itself as he could no longer keep his balance, falling face-first to the ground. The adrenaline drained from his body, pain rising in every nerve he contained. More coughs brought more blood, something followed with a disturbing thought.

"_There is no way I should have punctured a lung!_"

His eyes looked over to Robin, unconscious on the ground, yet writhing. Her body shook and slid, as though she were possessed by demons. She made small squeaks of pain, tiny moans of discomfort and agony. The sight confused the injured knight, trying his best to get back to his feet. His armored hand scrounged through his pouch, retrieving a vulnerary. He downed the life-saving tonic, cringing at the vile texture and bitter taste. The effects were immediate, the pain melting from his body. Frederick got to his hands and knees, trying to keep his balance.

"_That girl looks like she could use one..._"

Frederick limped towards Robin, who still writhed on the ground. He reached into his pouch, attempting to find another vulnerary. The small bag, well-hidden under the plates of his armor, held numerous bottles, all of which for medicinal purposes. As much as he trusted the healing skills of Lady Lissa, he knew to have a few backups in case of an emergency.

"_A smart decision, for sure._" He thought as he retrieved another bottle.

Frederick crouched down to the moaning girl, pressing her lips against the small potion bottle. He was not entirely sure that she was injured, but it would help deal with the pain she was in. Frederick nearly had to force the viscous slime down her throat, her shaking spilling most of it on her robe, but he got the rest of it down her throat.

The girl slowly ceased her movements, slowly falling back into an unconscious state. Her soft breaths indicating that she was getting a peaceful sleep.

"_The girl's spent a majority of the time passed out..._"

Frederick picked the child up with his left arm, the other still healing with help from the potion. While it was certainly able to keep him from bleeding to death, it would still take time to return him to one-hundred percent. He placed Robin on his back, her arms locking around his neck. She was light enough to carry without being any sort of inconvenience, at most she felt like ten pounds.

"Right!" Frederick announced to no one in particular, "Let us find the others then." He groaned as he mounted his horse, still feeling sore.

"_As the saying goes: I will __**definitely **__feel this one in the morning..._"

* * *

><p>"You think he's alright?" Sully asked, her horse trotting alongside the siblings: Chrom and Lissa.<p>

"He's fine," Chrom reassured his friend, a proud smirk on his face. "It will take a lot more than the living dead to kill Frederick."

"Yep!" Lissa practically bounced with each step, a care-free smile on her face. "Ol' Freddy-Bear won't go down unless he's taking a dragon with him!"

"'Freddy-Bear'...?" Chrom asked, confused at the strange nickname his sister had used.

"Oh yeah!" Lissa's face held a look of realization. "He _hates _that name. It's unbelievably funny to annoy him with it." Lissa placed a hand over her mouth as she giggled.

"'Cause the guy can't stand bear meat?" Sully knew of Frederick's picky-eating. She saw the way he fed his 'left-overs' to the animals, particularly, her horse. The damn thing gained twenty pounds due to the guy's 'generosity'!

"He can't?" Chrom said, in mock-surprise. The fact of Frederick being choosy with his meals was one that was well-known throughout the Shepherds, frustrating them more than anything.

"I say," Virion piped in, "that is a surprise. Who does not appreciate a good bear from time to time?"

"Especially if you get the cubs too," the stranger added in, "Spread the young meat on a cracker, mother in a stew. Delicious!"

The rest of the party stared at the stranger in horror.

"W-What the hell is wrong with you!?" Lissa's eyes went wide, shaking in fright.

"What...?" The masked man merely looked around in confusion, unaware of the strange statement he had made.

"Ho there!" A familiar voice called out.

The party forgot of the creepy man and looked to the sound of clanking and trotting, seeing Frederick's horse step through the thick brush. Robin was fast asleep, holding onto his neck for dear life. Each movement made him groan, and his armor creak.

"Good to see you all alive and well. Sully," Frederick nodded to the red-headed woman. "Who are they?" he asked simply, referring to the strangers who followed Chrom and his friends.

"That is Virion," Chrom waved to the archer. "And that is...?"

"Marth." The stranger was quick to answer.

"Marth...?" Chrom repeated the name, unsure. "Like the old king?"

"Exactly," Marth began, "my moth-"

"Say no more!" Chrom exclaimed, pure glee in his eyes. "I can't believe this!"

"Believe what?" Lissa juggled her eyes between Marth and Chrom.

"Well, Sir Marth!" Chrom said with a flourish of his cape. "Welcome to the future!"

A swift kick to the head by Sully extinguished the thought.

"No, I am not from the past..." Marth rubbed his head, frustration building. "I must speak with Ro-"

Marth's words were torn from his throat when he saw Robin. He thought that she looked small, but was not...

"_A CHILD!?_"

Marth only babbled sad attempts at the Ylissean language before falling onto the ground, passed out unconscious.

"Is he alright?" Frederick watched from horseback as Lissa rushed to Marth, searching him over for injury.

"He's fine," she reassured him, "just passed out."

"Why now?" Chrom lightly poked at Marth's unconscious body with a stick, poking him in the face repeatedly.

"Damn it, Chrom!" Sully ripped the stick from his hands. "You know that we promised that **I** got first dibs on poking knocked out mysterious strangers!"

"Right..." Chrom proceeded to watch with envy as Sully jabbed at Marth with the stick.

"Hey! I found something!" Lissa said, picking up a note that fell out of Marth's pocket.

"What does it say?" Virion ceased rifling through Marth's pockets, certainly not trying to take any money. Definitely not... Shut up.

"It says: '_If you are seeing this letter, it means that I am in a state of unconsciousness. Please leave me where I am, no matter what state you find me in. I assure you that I am fine and able to get myself out of any state of danger that you believe me to be in. If you attempt to help me, I will report you to the town guards, claiming that you not only robbed me, but sexually assaulted my horse. Thank you, and have a good day._'"

"But... he doesn't have a horse," Chrom said in confusion. Why would someone be so dedicated to not getting any help?

"There's a post-script," Lissa added. "'_If I do not have a horse, then I will say that it was my cat instead._'"

"Well then..." Frederick turned his horse away, attempting to distance himself from the strange man obsessed with forced-animal-intercourse. "My lord, we should get going."

"Right," Chrom said, giving a nod to Frederick. "Let's get moving to the capital," he ordered to the group.

"What about Marth?" Lissa asked, her instincts as a healer demanding her to stay and help him.

"Emmeryn does not need rumors that we molest cats," Chrom said with bitterness on his tongue. "He doesn't want help, so we shouldn't force it on him."

"Right," Frederick said in reflexive agreement, "let us get moving."

"Robin's asleep _again_?" Lissa noticed the small form hugging the armored giant from atop his steed.

"Yes," was all Frederick said, uninterested in continuing the conversation.

"What about you?" Chrom asked, noticing the pained state of his friend.

"I'll survive the trip, my lord," Frederick said with a smile.

"Your arm looks shot," Sully interjected, seeing how Frederick kept it clutched against his form.

"I took a vulnerary not too long ago," Frederick scanned the worried looks of his friends, "I will be fine."

"Still," Chrom crossed his arms, "pay a visit to Lissa soon. Make sure not to reopen your wounds during the trip."

"Understood, my lord."

* * *

><p><em>She could remember a few things. Not many, but a few.<em>

_She could remember warm nights, not too hot or cold. A field came to mind too, full of beautiful white flowers. Their petals scattered through the air, like snowflakes in the wind. She remembered sitting on the ground with... someone. No faces came to mind, only two forms. They were bigger than her, each towering above her small form._

_She remembered laughing with them. She could feel her muscles contort her face into a pure expression of joy. She heard them laugh too. They were all happy in the field, but she did not remember why. She couldn't even remember what she was laughing with._

_She remembered wrapping her arms around one of the forms, feeling tired from their fun-filled day. They played together in that field. Maybe it was a picnic? The taste of sandwiches came to her tongue, confirming her suspicions. She heard herself giggling. It was strange. What was funny?_

"_We—o—ou."_

_One of them talked. Its voice was distorted and unrecognizable. _

"_I—t-!" _

_She heard herself speak, feeling her mouth form the words. Her voice was just as frazzled and alien as the other._

_She looked at one of the forms, trying to will her way through the strange... interference? The form became clearer, details filling in slowly but surely. She could remember long hair, long past their shoulders. She saw how the form became kinder, gentler with every passing second. A wave of nostalgia hit her. She felt happy with the woman. That is what it was. A tall woman in a purple cloak, with long, white hair. Her voice was soft, lulling her to sleep. _

_The last words she heard the woman say brought the sorrow back. The regret, the anger, the **failure**._

"_We love you, Lucina."_

* * *

><p>"Wake up!" Frederick announced with a smile on his face. He was kind enough to try to awaken his friends... while using a ladle and a pan to make enough noise that Naga herself would butcher the man.<p>

"Frederick..." Chrom groaned out, "remind me to have you castrated so that you cannot contaminate this world with your offspring."

"As you wish, my lord," Frederick said, still in a grin.

Frederick walked over to Sully, who was still snoring like a dragon. He banged the pan and ladle together, trying to rouse her from her sleep.

"I'll kill you, Leonard Nimoy!" she shouted as he jerked up, being torn out of sleep. She looked to see Frederick, holding a confused look on his face.

"Who is Leonard Nimoy?"

"Some nerd I beat up when I was a kid," Sully explained with a shrug.

"Right," Frederick repeated his pan and ladle torture to Sully's horse, which was still sleeping. The horse rose to its hooves, found the source of the disturbance, and delivered a swift hoof to his genitals.

"Nice try!" Frederick delivered proudly. "But I have extra armor down there thanks to a doctor's visit."

"What, he say you gotta protect your junk?" Sully spat as she got on her horse, finally waking up.

"No, I was molested by the nurse and I need the armor to feel safe."

"Oh, sorry to hear 'bout that..." Sully rubbed the back of her neck with a hand. "Childhood trauma's bound to fu-"

"No, this happened last week."

Sully stared at Frederick in shock, paralyzed on top of her steed.

"Right!" Frederick marched away, approaching the archer, Virion. He could hear the sky-blue-haired man mumble in his sleep. None of which he was going to repeat for the sake of polite conversation. All he would reveal, years later, was that it involved a Plegian prostitute, whip cream, a pegasus, and broom that would never be used again. He repeatedly clanged his instruments together, awakening the archer from his... _pleasant_ dream.

"Was I talking in my sleep again...?" Virion asked aloud, almost rhetorically.

"All I will say is this," Frederick cleared his throat, "friend, you need Naga."

"Where's Robin...?" Chrom asked, rubbing his eyes. He could not spot the little girl anywhere, drifting his gaze across the small campfire they had set the previous night.

"She awoke with me and went off to wash her hair in the river," Frederick explained, retrieving a few strips of bacon from the travel pack they carried. He placed them in the pan he had used, relighting the fire and holding the pan above it. The scent of cooking bacon flooded the air, awaking Lissa from her sleep.

"Mmm..." she said tiredly, "That smells good..."

"Hey!" Sully shouted, "Why the hell didn't you clang metal over _her _head!?"

"Because it would've just wasted time..." Chrom knew of his sister's heavy sleeping. An earthquake would need to ally itself with a tornado and a dragon in order to awaken his sister. Only through the smell of cooked breakfast can she be forced from her bed. "You said that she went to wash her hair?" Chrom asked Frederick.

"Robin? Yes," Frederick said, trying to keep Lissa from the food before it was done, her body slithering like an eel towards the bacon.

"And you let her off on her own?" Chrom gritted his teeth.

"The river is not far from here," Frederick pointed out to his right, indicating the direction. "Maybe around ten to twenty feet?"

"She's seven," Chrom argued, "That distance is like a mile to her."

"Doesn't keep ya from making her your strategist," Sully teased, stretching her muscles.

"And how do you know that?" Chrom asked, his tone frustrated and angry.

"I hear things!" Sully's was offended and defensive. "I have friends too, ya know!"

"Frederick..." Chrom turned to his steward/personal guard, who was currently smacking Lissa's hand for trying to steal some of his food.

"Sully is a Shepherd too," Frederick said between mouthfuls of bacon and eggs, "You did not say that it is a secret."

"Good point," Chrom groaned. He hated himself sometimes...

"Embarrassed that a little girl had to save your ass?" Sully held a smirk.

Chrom merely glared at Frederick once again.

"I kept that hidden, my lord."

Chrom aimed his gaze at Lissa, happily chewing on a piece of bacon.

"Shouldn't you be looking for that kid?" Sully asked, piercing an egg with her lance and eating it from there.

"That's really unhealthy..." Chrom said as he walked in the direction of the river, just noticing the sounds of flowing water and gleeful giggling.

"_Time to play babysitter..._"

* * *

><p>Robin was happily splashing in the river, the water warm and relaxing. Frederick told her that she had to wash her hair before they got to the capital, so he told her to go to the river. She took the soap that he had in his pack, aimed at cleaning as fast as she could so that she could spend the rest of the time playing in the water. She loved swimming! It was so much fun!<p>

Her eyes looked to her toy, Kitty, laying in the pile her robe made. She was lucky not have lost her before the battle. She had no idea a battle even took place! Apparently, she slept through it again. At least, that's what they told her. She was happy that happened. Battles sound scary...

"_I like studying them though!_"

The thought made her smile when she thought back to the books Chrom made her read. They were a bunch of old strategy books, most smelling like mold and wet paper. She gagged when he first handed her one, the stink making her eyes water. She liked the book though! It was fun to read!

"_When I told him that, he got really happy!_"

Robin giggled as she splashed in the water. She liked Chrom! And the... Shepherds?

"_If they're Shepherds... Where are their sheep?_"

She remembered that that's what that word means. They herd sheep or something. She'd have to ask about that later. It was confusing!

Robin began to open up to the Shepherds during their travels. She enjoyed Lissa's company, the two playing games together when they set up camp. Frederick was fun too! He was like a butler, always taking orders from Chrom and doing them favors. She loved how he fixed up Kitty for her, reattaching one of her ears when it fell off. Sully still scared her, always being loud and angry. Maybe she just needed a nap? She was always 'training', which was what she called practicing with that lance of hers. Virion was the weirdest one. He always complimented Sully and Lissa, but everyone would just get angry at him. Did they not like compliments?

"_But when Chrom or Frederick do it, they get really happy!_"

Robin furrowed her brow in confusion. She needed to look into that later.

A squeaky yelp came from Robin when she felt something slimy and scaly brush past her leg. She jumped from the river, leaping back onto shore. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked down to the assailant that scared her from her swimming.

It was a fish. A large fish that -stood?- in place in the river. Its beady eye looked to Robin, mouth consistently opening and closing every few seconds. It began swimming in a small circle, gills folding and unfolding. Its bright scales shone through the river, almost blinding the girl thanks to the early morning sun.

"Are you... hungry?" Robin asked the fish. She skipped over to her robe, retrieving a bag of bread she kept hidden. If she hid anything, only she would be able to find it! That was her philosophy regarding bread. It was her favorite treat, even surpassing sweets. She felt a pang of guilt when she tore a tiny bit off and threw it to the fish, who gobbled it up with haste. "I guess you are!"

She continued throwing bits of bread at the fish, trying to keep the amounts small to save her own supply up. The fish continually gobbled the bread, still swimming in a small circle. She didn't know whether it was doing that for fun or to entice more bread from her, but she didn't care. She liked the fish. It was cute.

"I'm gonna give you a name!" Robin said with a smile. She thought for a time, humming to herself. "How about 'Fishy'!"

Her creativity with names is not a strong suit.

"Do you wanna come with me, Fishy?" Robin asked the fish, still swimming in a circle. "I think we have a bowl you can live in!"

"Robin?" she heard a voice say.

"Fishy! You can talk!" She gasped, but began giggling with glee.

"What? No. It's me, Chrom." the voice continued. She recognized it as, in fact, Chrom.

"Chrom!? You turned into a fish?" Robin asked in confusion.

"...Just... just turn behind you..."

Robin turned to see Chrom, his palm on his face. Her cheeks went red with embarrassment.

"We gotta get going," Chrom began, "Say goodbye to your little friend, get dressed, and we'll head out for the capital."

"O-Oh..." Robin could not keep the disappointment out of her voice. She liked the river. And she liked Fishy...

"Ylisstol has a river too," Chrom said with a sigh.

The girl gave a hopeful smile.

"We're not taking the fish with us."

"You're mean!" Robin said with a pout.

* * *

><p><em>AN_

This is Griped, and I have a message.

HOLY FUCK WAS THIS FRUSTRATING TO WRITE!

I went through _three _different versions of this fucking thing before I got to this one! Mainly because I tried killing off Frederick, and I couldn't figure out how to make that work. But I decided that it'd be better to go for a lighter shift in tone due to the depressing that was 3. But yeah, we've all learned something from this experience, children. We've learned that writing kids is weird. That Frederick was molested during their stay in the first village (Do the math. 3 days in the first village, and few hours of travel, plus 4 days on the road with Sully and Virion.). That Robin likes bread, and sucks at naming stuff. And that Lissa is a dirty food thief, don't you hate those people?

But I may have to slow down a _bit _more on this story to focus on some others that I've been abandoning. It's just that when I get an idea, I beat it to death then leave it for months at a time. I _promise _to try my best to not let that happen to this one. I like this concept!

So, until next time, this has been me saying: "The census is a way for the UN to make your children gay!"

Haha... Anchorman 2 reference.


	5. Chapter 5

The bustling streets of Ylisstol never ceased to amaze Chrom, and he lived there his whole life! The consistent crowds of common folk, merely trying to purchase groceries, or visit friends and family, or even sell a few wares, would give Chrom a proud grin. He breathed in deep, enjoying the air of the busy city he was proud to call home.

Long city blocks, full of shops and homes intersecting between each other, surrounded the party of Shepherds. After several days in the forest, the sight gave a sense of wonderment to the group. The image of various peasants, working together and off each other to continue their own daily lives, made them proud of their duties.

"Wow...!" Robin, her eyes bright and wide, held her mouth open in a gleeful expression. She giggled as she looked around at the amazing sights before her. The shop selling pies, the cart with the fancy hats, the big castle in the distance, it was all so exciting! "This place is so big!"

"Yeah," Chrom said in agreement, holding a proud tone. He felt good that all of the hard work that he and his sisters did paid off. The city was clean, happy, well fed, and protected. The stone streets weren't littered with garbage, the simple homes weren't falling apart at the seams, and the people weren't calling for the blood of the aristocracy. It was good morale boost to the party, seeing people living peacefully and happily.

"Let's get to the barracks!" Sully cheered out, her horse rearing with excitement. The clack of metallic horseshoes on stone road made them all flinch. Sully didn't seem to care though, wearing a smirk.

"Right!" Chrom ordered, his cape fluttering, "Everyone, let's move ou-!"

"Oh my gods!" Lissa interrupted her brother with a squeaky burst of energy. "There's Emmeryn!"

The group looked to see a radiant woman, surrounded by guards, walking through the streets. Her very aura gave off a divine feeling, as though she was a goddess among men. Her long cloak was drifting through the wind as the woman shook hands with the various peasants, all rushing to meet their leader. She wore a bright smile, trying to disarm the nervous tension that her people held at her presence. Her guards even seemed friendly, politely talking with the common folk and even shaking a few hands themselves. Their armor clanked and clamored on the stone road, but it was drowned out by the happy cheers and revelry. The horse that she rode on even seemed majestic, its coat pure white and clean. Its own armor was light and more for decoration, a simple tunic with various symbols on it that related to her family's house.

"She's really pretty!" Robin said with excitement. Her eyes were glued to Emmeryn, unable and unwilling to place them anywhere else. To her, Emmeryn looked like the spitting image of one of the princesses in the story books that Lissa would read to her. In fact, she seemed familiar. She picked up on a few ques, looking over at the regal woman. The blonde hair, almost white, seemed to peak her interest. She looked over at Lissa, still gushing over Emmeryn, and noticed that her hair was light as well. But what grabbed her attention the most was the birthmark on Emmeryn's head. It was of a symbol that she couldn't describe. It was strange, alien. To say that it was a crescent would be wrong, as it was more than just that. But the important detail was that the _exact same symbol _was on Chrom's arm.

"Why are you looking at my shoulder?" Chrom asked, unsure of why Robin was staring at him for the last five minutes. Her tiny tongue peaked from her mouth as she mentally pieced the puzzle together.

"Do you know that lady?" Robin asked, still looking at the symbol. She turned her head, scanning over the others as they were distracted by the fanfare. Frederick was covered in armor, beyond his head, and had nothing visible. Sully had her arms uncovered, but they were clean of any symbols. Virion was the same as Sully. Lissa's dress covered her body, excluding her hands and head.

Chrom looked to his Brand. He could tell that Robin picked up on that. He gave a sigh. He knew he would have to address it soon, hell they were going straight to the castle. Chrom just hoped that it could have waited a bit longer. He didn't even know why he thought that, he just did. Maybe it was because she was so young, she would freak out or start treating them all differently. All he knew was that it was giving him a bad taste in his mouth.

"Yeah, we know her," Chrom said unsurely, trying to find the right words to use. He had to ease into it subtly and carefully.

"She's the best big sister ever!"

Or he could be like Lissa and bleat it out like an idiot.

"Sister?" Robin asked curiously. She put a finger to her mouth, humming as she once again pondered the answer. "So you are her family?"

"Yes," Chrom's voice was wobbly. He felt like anything could go wrong at that moment. It was like being in a field where a single step would cause you to explode. Or having to endure Sully's infamous cooking _while she was watching_. He had to maneuver carefully. "Lissa and I are her younger siblings."

"That's good," Robin simply said, "she looks really nice."

"She is," Frederick piped in. "She is the Exalt of the land, and a damn good one at that."

"Exalt...?" Robin looked up at Chrom, hoping he would add context to the weird word. The man went stiff as a board, trying to avoid the gaze of the girl. The moment of truth was there.

"It means that she is the queen," Chrom said, readying himself for whatever was about to occur.

"That's cool!" Robin began giggling excitedly. "So you're the king?"

"N-No," Chrom became nervous once again. He could deal with leading thousands into battle. With inspiring young men and women to fight in his sister's name. But the minute he was left with a child, he fell apart. Everything he knew was shot through the head, forcing him into alien territory. "I'm more like a prince than the king."

"Okay," Robin understood the awkwardly said explanation. She buried her head into Kitty's, feeling nervous as the Exalt approached them. The woman towered over her, rattling Robin's nerves relentlessly. Emmeryn had abandoned her horse, seeing her brother and sister in the streets.

"Chrom," Emmeryn said, her voice soothing and comforting. The mere sound of it made Robin less nervous. "It is good to see you and Lissa again."

"You as well," Chrom said with a nod. He felt Robin hide behind his leg, her tiny arms clinging to him. He could hear occasional whimpers, the girl obviously being intimidated by his sister. He watched as Emmeryn crouched down, meeting Robin at eye level.

"Hello," she said in that same, calm voice, "what is your name?"

Robin merely squeaked out an attempt at an answer before she slid herself further out of sight, her face bright red. Emmeryn gave a warm laugh before looking up to Chrom.

"She seems to like you!" Emmeryn laughed once more, never raising her voice above that chilled and relaxing level.

"Yes..." Chrom looked to the ground. "We need to talk later, when we are out of the street." His eyes juggled around between the onlookers, trying to get something for their gossip later.

"Of course," Emmeryn stood up again, giving a calm nod to her brother. "We shall discuss everything tonight." Her tone seemed to imply that she knew what the subject was going to be. "For now, rest. You must all be weary from your travels."

"Right," Chrom answered with a less refined nod, belonging more to the soldier in him than the royal. "We're off to the barracks now," Chrom looked down to the little girl, still shaking behind his leg, "Robin, I need you to let go of me."

She did just that, instantly flying her arms to the stuffed cat hanging on the leather strap Frederick made for her, designed to keep toy hung against her.

"You really don't like strangers, do you?" Chrom asked teasingly, earning a smack against his thigh from Robin. Though it did little damage.

"To the barracks then?" Frederick asked his charge, his horse getting restless.

"Yes," Chrom said with another nod, "to the barracks."

* * *

><p>The barracks of the Shepherds was more of a giant room full of supplies, stinking of old wood and paper. Various historical paintings decorated the room, along with suits of armor on stands and hung weaponry. The room was warm thanks to the powerful fireplace, crackling and snapping the firewood with the flames. The Shepherds sat in wooden chairs, each creaking due to the weight of their equipment or due to the age of the wood. Chrom stood on his feet, looking at the members of his special unit.<p>

Along with the people that was with him during the journey, new faces littered the room.

There was Stahl, the... average soldier. He made such an unintimidating presence that it was hard to take him very seriously. His armor was colored green, the paint peeling off as he moved around. His short brown hair gave off an atmosphere, one that screamed "Look how generic I am!". His appetite was the only thing worth noting. He was constantly hungry, always talking about meals and dinner plans.

The one who Stahl talked with was Sumia, the klutzy gray haired woman. She was young and pretty, her hair reaching a bit past her shoulders, but not too much. Her armor was a light magenta, almost dyed that way. As once noted, she was a complete klutz. She couldn't walk down the hall without tripping on her own feet. She had suffered multiple concussions, broken noses, skull fractures, and outright dislocated bones due to her clumsiness. Still, she meant well, and was a kind person to any one she met. Not including people trying to kill her, of course.

"Yo!" an arrogant voice called out as it entered the room, "The Teach is here!"

That was Vaike, the blonde brute, and self-declared rival of Chrom. The only detail worth noting beyond his arrogance was his lack of a shirt. But that was also a factor of his pride, as his bare chest was his attempt at charming women; most were able to ignore his advances and leave him with a bruised ego and eye.

"Are you really gonna start calling yourself 'Teach' now?" Lissa asked sarcastically. She always tried to not bully the ax-swinging warrior, but he really made it hard not to at least tease him from time to time. Especially since he constantly challenged her brother to duels and fights, though he always lost them without so much as getting a scratch on Chrom.

"Hell yeah!" Vaike declared while showing off his bicep. "The Teach's back in-!"

"Lissa!" a feminine voice shrieked.

Out of nowhere, Vaike was pushed against the wall by a woman wearing an excessive amount of makeup. Her clothing was clean and unwrinkled, looking to cost a small fortune. Her hands gripped a small personal umbrella as she ran to the twin-tailed princess.

"Oh, I was beside myself with worry!" the woman said, giving Lissa a bone-crushing hug. "You were not injured, were you?"

"Geez, Maribelle," Lissa choked out from the death-grip, "I can handle a battle or two!"

"It's simply the travel that gets her," Chrom piped in with a chuckle. Lissa merely responded by sticking her tongue out once more.

The woman known as Maribelle released her friend, scuffing the dust from both of their dresses, and took a seat with the other Shepherds. Maribelle was from a well known house in Ylisstol. But despite her, no doubt lavish, upbringing, she managed to become a selfless and kind woman. However, she did have an obsession over appearances and etiquette. She was well versed in the gossip of the nobles and worried over the rumors about her own family, though she denied that she thought they held any weight.

"Alright," Stahl said, "so what's the special announcement you called us for?"

Chrom scanned his eyes across the chairs, noticing one empty spot.

"Where's Miriel?" he asked, looking at the empty chair.

"She left a message," Stahl explained, "she can't make it."

"What's the message?" Lissa asked, furrowing her brow at the thought that Miriel would be missing from the meeting.

"That she was leaving a message," Stahl said deadpanned, "and that she can't make it."

"Guessing the words were a bit too big to remember?" Sully asked, leaning back in her chair. Stahl confirmed it with a nod.

"As long as you got the basic point," Chrom approached Stahl and gave him a pat on the shoulder. He felt somewhat relieved that the mage would be gone. No doubt she would try to experiment on Robin, trying to find out why he would put a child to the sensitive position as tactician. It was unavoidable, the two bound to meet each other eventually, but he would rather keep it to _eventually_. Despite her love of logic and reasoning, when the woman wanted to find out something, nothing would sway her from her task.

"Alright," Chrom began, clearing his throat before continuing, "everyone. The reason I have called you all hear is to announce that we have a new member." Chrom allowed for the curious murmuring to proceed for a few moments, quickly extinguishing it with a raise of his hand. "Not only is she incredibly gifted in battle, but she has a mind that can out-think all of our best strategists, even in the midst of battle." He admitted that he was embellishing Robin's talents a tad bit, but he felt that it was necessary. Considering how they will react to the age difference, they need every reason to put their trust into Robin. They had not seen what he saw. They would not understand the value in her.

"What's her name?" Stahl asked, his hand raised in the air.

"Her name is Robin," Chrom answered, mentally trying not to drop the bomb right there. "Lissa, Frederick, and I found her not far from a local village. She helped us fight off the bandits that were raiding there, and the strange new foe that you will soon be briefed about." He ordered the military advisers to explain the strange, undead creatures that Chrom had fought a few days prior. Especially due to the rumors that more were spotted in Ylisse that he heard on the way to the castle.

"So the Teach gets to win the heart of another soon-to-be-fan of his?" Vaike asked with a cocky grin, raising his own hand.

Though it was meant as a joke, the line caused Chrom's face to darken. His mental war on how to address the glaring issue was getting worse. He considered merely introducing her to everyone, but he knew that would scare her. She wasn't comfortable with strangers, even if they were friends of his. She needed to be acclimated to the Shepherds slowly, not pushed into the deep end immediately.

"My apologies. Chrom?" the ice-cold voice of Miriel said, entering the meeting room. Her robes flowed in the draft, wisps of air causing the hanging ends to snap in the air. Her red hair was short, making a bowl shape. Her glasses hung from her nose, which she occasionally pushed up as they slid. In one hand was an old tome, reeking of mold and ink. In the other was the shaking hand of a little girl, Robin.

"_Shit! I thought she went to Lissa's room!_" Chrom cursed to himself, biting his inner lip.

"I meant no inconvenience," Miriel began, her tone professional and almost emotionless, "But I found this young offspring wandering in the library of the castle. I arrived here when she claimed to have been acquainted to you and our companions."

Robin was quaking with fright, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Occasional whimpers left her lips as the strange woman gripped her hand. It didn't hurt, but the robed stranger frightened her beyond capacity.

"Yes..." Chrom said slowly, his eyes dropping to the floor, "bring her here."

Miriel released the girl's hand, who took the opportunity to sprint to Chrom. Robin once again hid behind his leg, trying to avoid the eyes of the strangers in the room. Her face was bright red in embarrassment, her eyes dripped tears in fear. Did she get Chrom in trouble with his friends? She hoped she didn't.

"Who's the girl?" Vaike asked in shock. What was a kid doing that close to Chrom? There was no way that... "She yours?"

"Wh-What!?" Chrom exclaimed, his eyes going wide. "Of course not!"

"Good!" Vaike gave a loud and boisterous laugh. "'Cause the Teach ain't gonna slow down because your a baby-daddy now, you hear? You get the pure Vaike! No protection or-!"

"Vaike, silence yourself!" Maribelle ordered, smacking him over the head with her umbrella, ending the blonde man's boast. "Now!" she began, noticeably calmer, "Do you care to explain why a young girl has attached herself to your leg?"

"R-Right..." Chrom trailed off, having no idea where to even begin. "This girl is... is..." He regretted ever thinking that he could go through with something as idiotic as making a _seven year old_ his tactician. No doubt that the Shepherds that didn't already know were going to question his sanity, though he was uncertain that the ones that did know weren't doing the same thing.

"Robin," Sully cut in, saving Chrom from his awkward silence, "and she's gonna be helpin' out with the strategics and stuff."

"I'm sorry... what?" Stahl looked around, trying to see if it was an elaborate prank they all set up. A kid in charge of tactics? There was no way that was possible.

"That is correct," Chrom said with a cough, gathering his nerve together. "This is Robin." He pushed the small girl out from behind him, giving the Shepherds a full view of their new tactician. Robin gave a small gasp before trying to run back behind Chrom, whose strong hand kept her from retreating back.

"This is a joke, right?" Maribelle asked, looking Chrom dead in the eye. The gaze shot a chill down his back, shaking him to his core.

"N-No," Chrom once again felt his nerve crumble, "it is not. As I said, her intellect is beyond that of a normal child. She is able to read through books that would take grown adults weeks in the span of a few hours." He tapped Robin on the shoulder, getting her attention. "How many pages were in '_Advanced Valmese Tactics: Volume One_'?" he asked Robin.

The young girl gulped, still shivering like a leaf in the dead of winter.

"Tw-Two thousand, three hundred and fifty-seven..." Robin said nervously.

"And how many were in '_Tactics and Geography_'?"

"F-Four thousand and seven hundred..."

"'_Proper Weapon Maintenance_'?"

"One thousand, four hundred and twenty."

"So the kid can remember how many pages were in a book," Vaike cut in, ending the in-between they had, "that doesn't prove that she can handle military tactics!"

Chrom merely bent down to Robin, feeling her pull on his cape. He heard the words she whispered to him, knowing how to prove her worth.

"You have twenty-seven gold pieces in your pocket, a carving knife, and a picture of yourself to admire later," Chrom said, moving face-to-face with Vaike. "She knew all that when she first _glanced _at you." He looked to Sumia. "You have three pieces of paper in your pocket, two being cooking recipes and the other a receipt to a blacksmith." Then to Stahl. "You have two love-letters written by the clothing shop sisters, and a slice of an apple." Finally, to Miriel. "You are holding a book that was written two hundred years ago, and you're wearing a necklace of Naga underneath your robes."

The Shepherds were speechless at the display, including even Sully, Lissa, and Frederick. They never knew Robin could do something like that. The idea that she could take inventory of their belongings from pure sight was something that was... beyond explanation.

"So know you see how valuable she can be," Chrom said, walking back to Robin. "We can't afford to lose someone of her skill level, not with what's on the horizon."

"I-I'm sorry," Sumia held her head in her hands, "this is just insane...!"

"To be able to take inventory of my belongings..." Miriel spoke aloud, mystified at what had happened.

"What about Maribelle?" Lissa offered excitedly, looking to Robin with a childish grin. "What does she have in those pockets?"

"It is rude to invade a lady's privacy!" Maribelle threatened, her umbrella raised and ready to strike.

"An orange..." Robin said, her face bright red.

"That's it...?" Lissa asked, disappointed at the answer.

"It is a snack, thank you very much," Maribelle retorted, her own face red. No one knew why she was so embarrassed to have an orange with her, and frankly no one cared. The bigger issue was staring them in the face.

"So this kid can take shop of everyone's stuff with a look?" Sully asked, trying to get the situation into words.

"It seems so," Chrom answered, full of shock himself. The idea that Robin could perform such an act was baffling. Trained strategists would need time and excessive training to pull off such a feat. So the idea that a young child could pull it off was certainly worth a second glance.

"M-My lord!" a guard shouted, sprinting into the meeting room in a panic. "Risen have been sighted on the main road!"

"Risen?" Sumia's face contorted in confusion.

"_I guess it's now or never..._" Chrom thought to himself, looking down at Robin.

He guessed that it would come to this. The enemy was certainly not wasting anytime waiting for them to get used to the idea of using Robin. And, quite frankly, they didn't have the luxury to deny her services. After what he saw that night, he knew that a storm was coming. A ball of ice settled in his gut as he gave a heavy sigh.

"_Time to throw her in the deep end._"

* * *

><p><em>AN_

Yeah... I feel like I should apologize for the previous chapter. I got desperate for humor and threw in shitty jokes, kind of a last resort thing. Sorry 'bout that.

But here's hoping this chapter was better! Definitely more talky than before, introducing characters and explaining how Robin can be useful. And we actually meet Emmeryn too, so if you like her than you'll be happy to know that she makes more appearances! Yay...! But I don't really have much to say. Last chapter wasn't too good, so I am hoping that this one redeems it.

Oh! I changed my username. Mainly because by the fifth time someone asked me if I was Plague of Gripes, I felt like a creepy stalker. I hope this new name is more identifiable and enjoyable.

And one more thing, **fuck **writing for Miriel. I can't deal with that complex vocabulary... I'll try, but please forgive me if it seems to drift into basic speech from time to time. I'm kinda Tarantino-esque like that. I like writing what someone would say in a normal conversation. Until next time, this has been Worst saying: I am no longer Plaguegriped.


	6. Chapter 6

The stench of decaying flesh alerted the party that they reached their destination. Right across the small, simple bridge was a pocket sized group of Risen, the newly dubbed undead beasts sprouting up across Ylisse.

Chrom's eyes fixated on Robin, who was sleeping peacefully against him on the horse they shared. He could not deny that he was worried. This was the first official battle she would be in. The battles before hand just happened to be pure chance, them stumbling into a situation they could not ignore. But this was the shot to prove Robin's worth to the Shepherds. If something went wrong, if a single man gets injured or killed on her watch, they would never trust her as their tactician.

"_But she'll pull it off._" Chrom repeated that thought in his head as the pack of Risen took notice of the small band of soldiers. He turned his head to the companions behind him, taking note of the absence of Miriel (who fell behind due to a few scholarly meetings requiring her attention), Sumia (who knocked herself unconscious halfway through the march), and Maribelle (who left to deal with tensions on the Plegian border). The rest were there, all ready to get the battle going.

"Hey," Chrom called out, gently shaking Robin from her nap, "we need you to wake up now."

The small girl slowly opened her eyes, yawning softly as she took note of her surroundings, mainly the rotting corpses not far ahead.

"M-Monsters..." Robin whimpered, clutching onto her toy. She shook with fright, seeing the flesh fall from the bones of the decayed beasts. Their howls made her eyes fill with tears, making her little heart pound in terror.

"That's right," Chrom said simply, rubbing the scared girl's head, a cold scowl on his face. "What do you see?"

Robin went wide-eyed at the question, unable to comprehend what Chrom asked her. She could see the monsters. She just said that.

"What do they have?"

Something clicked in her mind, even though she could barely tell what was going on. Before she knew it, she was already describing the inventory of the creatures ahead.

"Three archers, four ax-men, three with lances, and..." Robin paused as she scanned the field ahead one last time, "six with swords."

"Alright. Advice?" Chrom was already in battle-mode, adrenaline flowing in his system.

"You and Frederick charge ahead," Robin said hesitantly, worry building in her voice, "Sully and Stahl support you while Virion protects Vaike and Lissa."

"Wait, why does Vaike need protection?" Chrom asked in confusion.

"He doesn't have a weapon."

"_That idiot forgot his ax again..._"

"Alright," Chrom dismounted his horse, leaving Robin sitting atop it nervously. He turned towards his men, unsheathing his sword. "You heard the girl!" he called out proudly, a smirk on his face, "Let's get started!"

* * *

><p>Emmeryn sat in her chambers, pondering the day's events as she sipped her tea. The chair she sat in was comfortable, helping ease the stress of the day. The fireplace crackled and popped as she gathered her thoughts. The parade went well, her people happy and worry free when they saw her ride down the street. She was glad that she managed to see Chrom and Lissa, despite it being only for a few moments. She has been barely able to talk with them ever since her coronation. Though... that did bring another issue to mind.<p>

"_Oh Chrom... You poor fool..._"

The publicity will be bad. People will talk, and spread nasty rumors. Worse due to the girl's origins. Her brother will be compared to their father, a psychopath who did what he wanted when he wanted. While it would be extremely unjustified, that won't keep people from thinking it.

"_A Plegian bastard..._"

Emmeryn never thought Chrom would be dumb enough to have a child without her knowing. He had to expect that his little secret would come out eventually. Especially with the girl's nationality quickly becoming an unpopular group.

"_He should be thankful that she looks nothing like him!_" Emmeryn hissed to herself, her frustration reaching a breaking point.

She was right though. If news that a child in a small village had an uncanny resemblance to a certain high-lord got out, there would be no end of it at every ball and party in Ylisse.

"_But now he's taken her with him..._"

That buffoon could have at least told her... She could help him. Have her council help quell the stories the nobles are bound to tell. Still, no sense in brooding over it. Her brother clearly had a reason to take the girl with him. He no doubt has dealt with countless orphans, losing their families to bandit attacks or some other calamity. So for him to just take a girl, who seemed oddly attached to him, can only have one explanation.

"_And he found her near the ransacked village._"

The mother must have died in the attack, leaving their daughter alone without him. Chrom always did have a flare for the dramatic. She guessed that he felt that he owed his mistress for leaving them for so long.

"_But he knows that we do not care who he marries!_" The venomous thought shot through her. His fault still gave her a headache, merely foreshadowing what was to come.

They couldn't keep her hidden. Miriel had already found her in the library. The workers would ask, visitors would ask, the rest of the Shepherds would ask.

"_Oh dear sweet gods, may Cordelia never find out..._" she shivered at the thought. Even the worst torture one can endure would be heaven compared to what that psychotically jealous knight would do.

But something else made her shiver. Something that she only realized then. The girl had a cold aura about her, one that you can only notice looking back. Emmeryn felt something she hadn't felt in a while, she was _afraid_.

"_What could it mean...?_"

Chrom was going to talk to her later that night, and they would sort the whole thing out. Maybe she was just afraid of what he was going to say, that he would confirm her suspicions? Maybe he would try to lie, despite his complete inability to. Maybe, and she prayed this, that she was wrong. Maybe she misinterpreted what she sensed and came up with the little narrative out of paranoia.

"_Please, gods, may that be it._"

Tensions between the Plegian people and Ylisse were paper-thin. So something as controversial as _her brother having a Plegian child_ would spiral the two superpowers into a war. Gangrel was practically clawing the walls waiting for a reason to start a conflict. But she couldn't have that. Her father had done enough damage to them both, and war was the last thing Plegia needed.

"_I can only pray that Chrom won't do anything stupid with her..._"

She at least hoped that he kept the child away from battle.

* * *

><p>"We are victorious!" Frederick cheered, impaling the last Risen with his lance.<p>

The plan went off perfectly. Especially with Miriel's entrance, and Vaike's ax making a sudden return. The two events were highly connected.

Chrom raised his sword and gave a proud cheer as the Shepherds gathered around him. They were all tired, but completely unharmed. Lissa healed every wound they had, and most were able to easily dodge the attacks thrown at them.

"Hell ye—OUCH!"

Vaike was the exception. The multiple slashes across his body, and more than one arrow sticking out of him, should have made Vaike a corpse himself. But he was probably too proud, or stupid, to die.

"Gross!" Lissa screeched in disgust. "Vaike, quit getting blood on me!"

"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Vaike said as he defended his pride. He held the wound on his arm, a large cut caused by one of the Risen's axes, as blood shot out like a fountain.

Chrom had a smile on his face as his friends celebrated their victory. He had no doubt that they would accept Robin as their tactician now. He looked to his horse, where she laid sleeping peacefully.

"_That girl sure does sleep a lot,_" he chuckled to himself.

In a way, he was thankful for the battle. When he no doubt would have to explain to Emmeryn why a child would handle the army's strategics, the rest of the Shepherds could vouch for her behalf. Three victories are hard to argue against.

"What was that?" Lissa asked suddenly, her gaze shooting to a nearby hill. She thought that she had heard something.

"You hear something?" Chrom approached his sister, seeing her tense up as the sound repeated.

"It came from there!" Lissa exclaimed, pointing towards the hill. Her feet moved quickly as she made her way to the hill, Chrom following close behind.

"I didn't hear anything," Chrom admitted, his eyes scanning the terrain around them.

"It was right over here!" Lissa reached the top of the hill to see an injured pegasus, its wing flapping limply as it reared in pain.

"A pegasus? Here?" Chrom could not keep the amazement from his face. He always liked the animals, they never ceased to give him a sense of wonder.

"Poor thing..." Lissa watched the creature try to fly, its wing flapping unevenly with its other. "We should help it," Lissa offered, looking to her brother.

"It will certainly be helpful to have another pegasus with us," Chrom said, nodding to Lissa.

They approached the pegasus, which merely aggravated the wild animal. It rose to its hind-legs, flailing its hooves wildly. Every step they took increased the risk of being brained by the large animal. They finally backed off when one of the hooves got too close to Chrom's face for comfort.

"It's panicking, and we can't get anywhere close to it," Lissa said sadly, being forced to watch the pegasus suffer.

"If only Sumia was here..." Chrom said bitterly. The klutz was renowned for her skill with animals, so it would be a complete none issue for her. But until she woke up, realized they left her in the street, and caught up to them, they were stuck.

"C-Captain!" the sweet, familiar voice of the gray-haired knight called out to them. That was followed by the panicked yelp of the woman, and a hard impact to the ground. "Ow... That one really hurt..."

"Oh great..." Chrom said tiredly, "Sumia's here..."

It wasn't that he hated the young knight. It was that the constant sounds of shrieking woman and thuds were never going to leave his head. His dreams were often full of thoughts about her, and not in the good way. They were mainly about how they would have to explain how she died falling down stairs, onto a sword, hitting her head on a table on the way, or outright just broke her neck on the way. None of them were fun to think of, as she was a sweet and kind woman who genuinely wanted to help the Shepherds. But until she could keep her feet on the ground, and her face off of it, she would always be an exhausting presence.

"Oh good," Lissa began, giving a warm smile to the clumsy knight, "we need your help, Sumia."

"Give me a second..." Sumia said, still face-first on the ground. "I'm trying to will away the pain..."

"You break your nose again?" Chrom asked, offering a hand to the girl.

"N-No!" Sumia denied, embarrassed to have her leader see her in that state. She was thankful he couldn't see her face, it being bright red, and not just because of the blood. She picked herself off the ground, gripping her nose with a hand as Lissa waved her staff over it. The sounds of snapping bone made her queasy, but the numbing comfort that followed was hard to ignore.

"So you think you can help the thing?" Chrom asked, gesturing towards the panicked pegasus.

"I'll certainly try," Sumia said, not putting too much confidence into her abilities. The state the animal in was bad, already being agitated by the siblings' attempt earlier. The wing was badly injured as well, bone sticking out from the feathered flesh and only getting worse as it flapped wildly. Sumia raised her hand to the creature, gently scratching its snout. The effect was immediate as the pegasus calmed down with in mere moments, melting into the hands of the young woman. It ceased its flapping, its wings drooping down its sides, clearly too exhausted to even keep them up.

"Wow!" Lissa giggled excitedly. " You really are good with animals!"

"It was nothing," Sumia said with a smile, mounting the animal. "Especially with such a sweetheart like this!" She began scratching its neck, praising it for listening to her commands.

"Wow...!" Chrom heard a familiar voice say from behind.

He turned to see Robin, gently rubbing her eyes. She had an excited smile on her face as she scanned the pegasus before her, unable to keep her enthusiasm down. Robin took her usual spot behind Chrom's legs, nervous at the large beast that Sumia was riding. Though she was clearly intimidated, she was also curious, taking regular peaks from her hiding spot.

Sumia took notice of this, taking the beast to the little girl. She dismounted the pegasus, staying close to its side.

"Do you want to meet her?" Sumia asked Robin kindly, wearing a warm smile. Robin answered with a nervous nod.

Robin hesitantly left her hiding spot, ready to jump back in a moment's notice. The majestic animal seemed to stare down the girl, making her regret her choice with every passing second. She saw Sumia take an apple from her pocket, giving it to Robin.

"Give her this," Sumia explained simply, still keeping the same smile.

Robin took the fruit from her hand, holding it up to the pegasus. The creature munched on the snack, eating out of the girl's hand.

"It tickles!" Robin giggled excitedly, feeling the pegasus' lips brush against her palm.

The pegasus nuzzled Robin, rubbing its head against the girl's, causing her to giggle more.

"I think it likes you," Chrom said proudly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well," Sumia began, remounting the pegasus, "I should get her looked at. That wing is a mess, and we need to get back to the capital."

"Okay..." Robin said, disappointed at having to say goodbye to her new friend.

"When we get back, and she gets better, you two can play together all you want," Sumia offered sweetly. Robin's face glowed from anticipation.

"Good point," Chrom pointed out, "we should be heading back to Ylisstol soon. No doubt Emmeryn would like to hear of this."

"Do you really think that telling her that you got a _little girl _to plan the battle will end well?" Lissa asked, a mixture between sarcasm and worry in her voice.

"We already have enough evidence to counter her worries," Chrom said, shrugging his shoulders. "Though the conversation certainly isn't going to be fun."

* * *

><p><em>AN_

Hey guys... *sigh*

You may notice how short this chapter is in comparison to the others. Well, there is a reason for that. I kinda quit half way through my plan for it. :I

While I was writing, I just hit a rut. By the time I reached the end, I was mentally _gone_. I couldn't get myself over the hump that formed every time I loaded up my software and tried to continue. That is also the reason for the massive time jump between updates. That, and I'm trying to relight the spark of creativity by planning out other stories (I know, shut up) but I think I'm just losing the passion. That, and I've barely had time to actually write due to life and shit. I know that the minute I officially say "This story's dead, don't expect any updates anymore!", I'll get a million different ideas of how to continue in my head, so that won't happen. All I'm saying is, prepare for **_months _**to pass if necessary.

So TLDR: Have patience.

Though it will feel good to get this off my chest, have one less thing to worry about. I'll probably due a Persona story (to all those who are fans of that series, which you _**should be**_!), and probably dabble in an Shin Megami Tensei one, since I just started playing 4. Basically, I have a lot of ideas in my head, and I can't focus on just one.


End file.
